British lawyer Dapo Akande wins seat on UN International Court of Justice
Dapo Akande is elected as one of the ICJ's 15 judges for a minimum nine-year term, nearly a decade after the last British judge lost re-election.
The story in focus
The Guardian reports that British international lawyer Dapo Akande has been elected to the UN International Court of Justice as one of 15 judges for at least nine years, almost a decade after Sir Christopher Greenwood lost re-election in 2017.
- Dapo Akande will serve as one of the ICJ's 15 judges for a minimum nine-year term.
- Akande is a professor of public international law at Oxford, a fellow of All Souls College and an elected member of the UN International Law Commission.
- He originally qualified as a lawyer in Nigeria.
- Akande pledged to serve with independence and to decide cases on a faithful and impartial application of the law.
- Lord chancellor Alex Norris, who campaigned for Akande, urged states that have not accepted the court's compulsory jurisdiction to consider doing so.
The election
Dapo Akande has been elected to the International Court of Justice, the United Nations court that hears disputes between states, The Guardian reported on 3 November. He will take one of the court's 15 seats for a minimum term of nine years.
The result comes almost a decade after Sir Christopher Greenwood failed to win re-election in 2017, leaving Britain without a judge on the court for the first time. The Guardian described Akande's election as a significant British diplomatic victory.
Background and commitments
Akande qualified as a lawyer in Nigeria before becoming a professor of public international law at Oxford, a fellow of All Souls College and an elected member of the UN International Law Commission. He has worked as counsel, adviser and expert in cases before international courts and tribunals, including the ICJ.
After his election, Akande said he was honoured and grateful to the states that supported him. He pledged to serve independently and to decide cases through a faithful and impartial application of the law.
Lord chancellor Alex Norris, credited with campaigning for the appointment, said the election came as international law faces pressure. He said Britain accepts the court's compulsory jurisdiction and encouraged other states to consider doing the same.
Next step
Akande joins the court alongside other judges elected in the same round. The Guardian did not specify when the new term begins or when he will be sworn in.
What term will Dapo Akande serve at the ICJ?
The Guardian reports he will serve as one of the court's 15 judges for a minimum nine-year term.
Sources & further reading
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