On October 27, 2026, the Minister of State, Secretary General of the Presidency of the Republic, Ferdinand Ngoh Ngoh, received Maurice Kengne Kamga, the new President of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), at the Unity Palace in Yaoundé, Cameroon. Kamga was there to express his gratitude to President Paul Biya for his support in his election as President of ITLOS on October 1, 2026.
During the one-hour audience, Ngoh Ngoh and Kamga discussed cooperation between Cameroon and ITLOS, which is based in Hamburg, Germany. Kamga, a native of Bandjoun in the West Region of Cameroon, was elected by his peers for a three-year term from 2026 to 2029. He succeeded Thomas Heidar of Iceland and became the first Cameroonian to lead the UN judicial body.
Kamga attributed his election to the support of President Biya and the Cameroonian diplomatic chain. He noted that it was the Cameroonian government that presented his candidacy in 2020, and that Biya's backing played a significant role in his election as ITLOS President. Kamga has been a judge at ITLOS since 2020 and is a specialist in maritime law.
Before his election as ITLOS President, Kamga served as a jurist at the International Court of Justice in The Hague from 2008 to 2020. He holds degrees from the University of Yaoundé and the University of Geneva. As President of ITLOS, Kamga will oversee the tribunal's work in resolving disputes related to the law of the sea.
The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea is a key UN body that interprets and applies the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. The tribunal has jurisdiction over a wide range of maritime law issues, including disputes related to territorial sea boundaries, navigation, and marine environmental protection.
President Biya's support for Kamga's candidacy reflects Cameroon's engagement with international maritime law. As a coastal state, Cameroon has significant interests in the law of the sea, including the protection of its maritime boundaries and the conservation of marine resources.
The audience with Ngoh Ngoh marked a significant moment in the relationship between Cameroon and ITLOS. As the first Cameroonian to lead the tribunal, Kamga's election is seen as a recognition of Cameroon's expertise in maritime law and its commitment to the international rule of law.
Key points
- - President Paul Biya received ITLOS President Maurice Kengne Kamga, who expressed gratitude for Biya's support in his election. - Kamga was elected as ITLOS President on October 1, 2026, and is the first Cameroonian to lead the tribunal. - The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea plays a crucial role in interpreting and applying the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
