Kenya’s campaign to secure Justice Phoebe Okowa's election to a full term at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has received international backing, with 26 countries endorsing her candidature ahead of the November 2026 vote.
Kenya officially launched Okowa's campaign in January 2026, seeking to secure a nine-year mandate for the judge to serve at the world’s highest judicial body.
Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary (PS) Korir Sing’Oei said the support marks the highest number of co-nominations ever received by an African candidate seeking election to the ICJ.
Sing’Oei thanked countries and national groups that have supported Kenya’s candidate as the country steps up efforts ahead of the elections for the 2027–2036 ICJ term.
“I express Kenya’s sincere appreciation to all National Groups that have co-nominated Judge Phoebe Okowa to the ICJ for the 2027–2036 term, the highest number of co-nominations garnered by an African ICJ candidate so far,” Sing’Oei wrote on X.
He also expressed appreciation to member states and the international community for their support for Kenya’s candidature.
“We remain grateful to all Member States and the entire international community for your cross-regional support and confidence placed in the candidature of Judge Okowa throughout this process as we look ahead to the November 2026 ICJ elections,” he added.
The countries whose National Groups have co-nominated Judge Okowa are Bahamas, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Colombia, Denmark, Djibouti, Ecuador, Finland, France, Georgia, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, Kenya, Latvia, Malta, Mauritius, Namibia, Netherlands, Norway, Senegal, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.
The endorsements cut across Africa, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, giving Kenya’s campaign wider international support as voting approaches at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
Judges of the ICJ are elected by both the UN General Assembly and the UNSC, with candidates required to secure an absolute majority in both bodies to win a seat.
The elections for the 2027–2036 term are scheduled for November 2026 at the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York, United States.
Judge Okowa is seeking a full nine-year mandate after joining the ICJ in November 2025 to serve the remaining period of a casual vacancy created following the resignation of Somali judge Abdulqawi Yusuf.
At the launch of her campaign in January 2026, Kenya said her candidature represented the country’s commitment to international law, multilateralism and global justice.
The Foreign Affairs Ministry said Okowa’s election to the Court demonstrated international confidence in her independence, legal expertise and long-standing career in public international law.
Judge Okowa is a Professor of Public International Law at Queen Mary University of London and previously served as a member of the International Law Commission (ILC).
She became the first African woman elected to the Commission before later chairing its Drafting Committee.
She has had a career spanning more than three decades, during which she has advised governments, represented states before international tribunals and appeared in cases before the ICJ.
Her election to the Court in 2025 was a historic achievement, making her the first Kenyan judge to serve at the ICJ and one of the few African women to sit on its bench.
Meanwhile, Kenya has continued engaging member states to support Okowa’s candidature, with senior government officials using regional and international forums to seek support.
Earlier this year, Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi launched a diplomatic campaign at the African Union Executive Council in Addis Ababa, calling on African countries to unite behind Kenya’s candidate.
The Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has also backed Okowa’s bid, saying securing her election to a full term should remain a priority for Kenya in international judicial elections.
With the support of 26 countries already secured, Kenya hopes to maintain its historic representation at the ICJ as it heads into the November 2026 elections.
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