Kenya has received a significant boost in its campaign to secure a seat at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), with Judge Phoebe Okowa attracting the highest number of co-nominations ever received by an African candidate ahead of the November 2026 elections.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, July 8, Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei announced that Okowa, Kenya’s candidate for the 2027–2036 term at the ICJ, has been co-nominated by 27 national groups drawn from Africa, Europe, Asia, the Caribbean and Latin America.
According to Sing’Oei, the unprecedented level of international backing reflects growing global confidence in Okowa’s qualifications and Kenya’s candidature for one of the world’s highest judicial bodies.
Judge Phoebe Okowa. Photo: Courtesy.
He expressed the government’s appreciation to the national groups that supported the Kenyan nominee, describing the endorsements as the highest ever secured by an African candidate seeking election to the ICJ.
The 27 countries whose national groups have backed Judge Okowa include The Bahamas, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Colombia, Denmark, Djibouti, Ecuador, Finland, France, Georgia, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, Kenya, Latvia, Malta, Mauritius, Namibia, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Norway, Senegal, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden.
The Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary also thanked United Nations member states and the wider international community for the cross-regional support extended to Kenya’s campaign.
He noted that the government remains optimistic ahead of the ICJ elections scheduled for November 2026 and pledged to continue engaging member states as the voting date approaches.
If elected, Judge Okowa would serve a nine-year term at the International Court of Justice from 2027 to 2036, representing Kenya on the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, which is responsible for settling legal disputes between states and issuing advisory opinions on questions of international law.
Kenya has in recent years intensified its diplomatic efforts to secure representation in key international institutions, with the government’s campaign for the ICJ seat forming part of its broader strategy to strengthen the country’s influence in global governance and international law.
