Sierra Leone withdraws ICJ candidate, backs Kenya’s Phoebe Okowa

Sierra Leone has withdrawn its candidate for the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Prof Charles Jalloh, and endorsed Kenya’s Prof Phoebe Okowa in an effort to strengthen African support for the remaining seat on the world court. The decision was made to prevent Africa from losing its sole seat on the court and falling below its inadequate share of representation.

Okowa, the first African woman elected to the International Law Commission, currently has 87 votes in the United Nations General Assembly, but only four in the Security Council, where eight votes are needed for election. The election requires candidates to secure an absolute majority in both the General Assembly and the Security Council.

Kenya has been actively campaigning for Okowa's candidacy, emphasizing her qualifications and experience. The remaining vacancy will be filled in a third round of voting, with successful candidates set to begin their nine-year terms on February 6, 2027.

Brief written by urgent.news from Capital FM Kenya's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.