Kenya has secured a major diplomatic milestone after Prof. Phoebe Okowa was elected a Judge of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), following a decisive showing in simultaneous votes at the United Nations General Assembly and Security Council.
Okowa secured an overwhelming 183 votes in the UN General Assembly, against just two for her Peruvian challenger. In the UN Security Council, she garnered 13 votes, while the Peruvian candidate failed to secure any.
Her election places a Kenyan jurist on the world’s principal judicial organ, where she will serve a nine-year term beginning in 2027 and running through 2036.
The outcome marks a significant moment for Kenya’s representation in international law and multilateral diplomacy.
