Somali judge is elected President of International Court of Justice

[Deeq A.]

Congratulatory messages from Somali and other parts of the world are being shared on social media following the election of Judge Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf as president of the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

The Somali judge was elected to the court’s Chamber of Summary Procedure along with four other judges and two alternate judges, who shall henceforth hear and detrmine cases brought before the court.

The International Court of Justice is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. Established in June 1945, the court settles, in accordance with international law, legal disputes submitted to it by states and gives advisory opinions ob legal questions referred to it by duly organs and agencies of the United Nation.

Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf has been the vice president of the ICJ since February 2015 and has been a judge at the court since 2009.

Yusuf is the founder and General Editor of the African Yearbook of International Law and is also one of the founders of the African Foundation for International Law, as well as the chairperson of its Executive Committee.
In addition, Yusuf has authored several books and numerous articles on various aspects of international law as well as articles and op-ed pieces in newspapers on current Northeast African and Somali affairs.
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