Post a comment 
The United Nations has released the official list of nominees for the upcoming bye-election to fill a vacant seat on the International Court of Justice (ICJ), following the resignation of Judge Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf of Somalia.
Judge Yusuf’s resignation, effective 30 September 2025, leaves a vacancy with approximately 15 months remaining in his term, which concludes in February 2027.
The election scheduled during the eightieth session of the UN General Assembly and Security Council will determine who serves the remainder of Judge Yusuf’s tenure on the Court.
Among the distinguished nominees is Professor Charles Chernor Jalloh of Sierra Leone, a globally respected scholar and practitioner of international law.
Professor Jalloh received nominations from multiple national groups, including Burkina Faso, Canada, Czechia, Ecuador, Liechtenstein, Sierra Leone, and South Africa. His wide-ranging support underscores international recognition of his expertise and long-standing contributions to international criminal justice.
If elected, Professor Jalloh would become the second Sierra Leonean to serve on the ICJ, following Judge Abdul G. Koroma, who held the position from 1994 to 2012.
Other candidates nominated for the bye-election include:
Taoheed Olufemi Elias (Nigeria) nominated by Italy, Jordan, Malta, Nigeria, and the Philippines.
Paul Kuruk (Ghana) nominated by Ghana.
Phoebe Okowa (Kenya) nominated by Colombia, Kenya, Namibia, the Netherlands, Romania, South Africa, Sweden, and Vanuatu.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ), based in The Hague, serves as the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, settling legal disputes between states and providing advisory opinions on questions of international law. Judges are elected concurrently by the UN General Assembly and the Security Council.
