Dapo Akande Elected ICJ Judge: UK-Nominated Scholar Joins World Court

• Professor Dapo Akande, a Nigerian-trained international lawyer, was elected as a judge to the International Court of Justice following a UN vote.
• He will serve a nine-year term, marking the return of a UK judge to the ICJ after a nine-year absence.
• Akande is a Professor of Public International Law at the University of Oxford with nearly three decades of experience.
• His campaign received strong support from the UK government, including the Prime Minister and diplomats globally.
• Akande pledged to serve with independence and apply the law faithfully and impartially in his new role.

Professor Akande committed to fulfilling his responsibilities with unwavering independence and pledged to adjudicate cases based on a faithful and impartial application of legal principles.

Professor Dapo Akande, a distinguished Nigerian-trained international lawyer, has been successfully elected as a judge to the International Court of Justice (ICJ). This significant appointment, which followed a United Nations vote conducted on Tuesday, sees Professor Akande taking up a nine-year tenure at the world's primary judicial body. The ICJ is tasked with resolving legal disputes between sovereign states and offering advisory opinions on complex international legal questions.

This election marks a notable return for the United Kingdom, as it will be the first time in nine years that a British judge will serve on the court. The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office confirmed this development on Tuesday, highlighting that Professor Akande secured the backing of a majority of UN member states. The British government characterized the electoral process as a closely contested vote.

Professor Akande brings extensive academic and practical experience to his new role. He currently holds the position of Professor of Public International Law at the University of Oxford and is also a Fellow at All Souls College, Oxford. His professional journey spans nearly three decades, during which he has distinguished himself as both an international law scholar and a practitioner. His foundational legal training was completed in Nigeria.

Beyond his academic contributions, Professor Akande has a robust history of engagement with international legal institutions. He has acted as counsel, adviser, and expert in various cases presented before international courts and tribunals, including the International Court of Justice itself. Furthermore, he has provided independent legal counsel to governments across all five United Nations regional groups, as well as to international organizations such as the United Nations and the African Union. He is also an elected member of the United Nations International Law Commission, a body for which he was nominated by the UK in 2021 by then-Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab to serve from 2023 to 2027.

The United Kingdom government actively championed Professor Akande's campaign, with support extending from the Prime Minister and various ministers to British diplomats stationed worldwide. Prime Minister Andy Burnham welcomed the outcome, asserting that the election underscores Britain's steadfast commitment to international law and its active role in global affairs. Burnham emphasized that this result sends a clear message to international partners, signaling the UK's renewed engagement on the world stage and its readiness to contribute to global stability and uphold the rule of law.

Upon his election, Professor Akande expressed profound gratitude for the trust placed in him by UN member states. He committed to fulfilling his responsibilities with unwavering independence and pledged to adjudicate cases based on a faithful and impartial application of legal principles. He articulated his anticipation of contributing to the ICJ's crucial mission of facilitating the peaceful resolution of disputes alongside his newly elected colleagues. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband also extended congratulations, voicing confidence in Professor Akande's legal acumen, independence, and dedication to international law, predicting he would be a valuable asset to both the Court and the broader international community.

This appointment signifies the growing influence of African legal professionals on the international judicial stage. Lawyers involved in public international law or advising clients on international disputes should be aware of the composition of the International Court of Justice, as the diverse backgrounds of its judges can subtly inform judicial perspectives and approaches to international legal issues.

Source: Original reporting via PUNCH