Professor Phoebe Okowa, a renowned Kenyan law scholar, has been elected to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) bench, securing a nine-year term. Okowa, 61, has built a career shaping international law principles governing relations between nations. Her election marks another milestone in her distinguished journey spanning over three decades of scholarship, legal practice, and international judicial service. Okowa is one of Kenya's most accomplished international legal scholars.
Okowa's election to the ICJ places her among 15 judges entrusted with resolving legal disputes between states and providing advisory opinions on international law questions. She had previously been elected to the bench in 2025 to complete the term of Somali judge Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf, who had resigned. However, she needed a new election victory to secure a fresh nine-year term. Okowa's appointment builds on a career defined by academic distinction, landmark appointments, and contributions to international legal principles.
Okowa has broken ground in a field where African representation, particularly that of women, has historically been limited. In 2021, she became the first African woman to be elected to the United Nations International Law Commission (ILC) since its establishment in 1947. The Commission advances the progressive development and codification of international law. Okowa's work at the Commission drew on decades of research into complex questions in international law, including state responsibility and accountability for international crimes.
Okowa combines academic scholarship with extensive practical experience. She is a professor of public international law at Queen Mary University of London and an advocate of the High Court of Kenya. Okowa has advised governments and international organizations on international law matters and appeared as counsel before the ICJ and the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. Her academic journey began at the University of Nairobi, where she graduated with first-class honors in law in 1987.
Okowa's academic career began at the University of Bristol in 1993 before moving to Queen Mary University of London, where she established herself as a leading voice in public international law. She has held visiting academic appointments at several universities, including the University of Lille, Stockholm University, and New York University School of Law. In 2024, Stockholm University conferred an honorary Doctor of Laws on Okowa in recognition of her contribution to legal scholarship.
Beyond academia, Okowa's influence extends to international legal institutions and professional bodies. She served as a member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague between 2017 and 2022. Okowa is also a member of the Public International Law Advisory Panel of the British Institute of International and Comparative Law and the Committee of Legal Experts of the Commission of Small Island States on Climate Change and International Law.
Okowa's ICJ appointment represents a transition from shaping international law through scholarship and advisory work to participating directly in its interpretation and application at the United Nations' principal judicial organ. Her election carries significance for Kenya's place in global legal institutions, particularly alongside Supreme Court Judge Njoki Ndung'u's candidacy for the International Criminal Court (ICC). Okowa's experience will bring her expertise to the judicial bench, representing a new chapter in Kenya's contribution to international justice.
Key points
- Phoebe Okowa is the first African woman to be elected to the United Nations International Law Commission (ILC) since its establishment in 1947.
- Okowa has been elected to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) bench for a nine-year term.
- Okowa's scholarship has addressed state responsibility, individual accountability for international crimes, Africa's engagement with the International Criminal Court, and the protection of natural resources in conflict zones.
