The making of Phoebe Okowa, Kenyan jurist at the world's top court

Jurist Phoebe Okowa. 

Phoebe Okowa has spent much of her career dealing with questions that shape relations between countries, from state responsibility and international disputes to environmental protection and accountability under international law.

Through her work as an advocate, academic and member of international legal institutions, the Kenyan professor has established herself as one of the country’s leading experts in international law.

Now, having secured a full nine-year term  at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), she has another opportunity to bring that experience to the bench of the United Nations’ principal judicial organ.

Her re-election is a milestone for Kenya. But beyond the international recognition, it raises a more personal question. 

Who is the woman behind the distinguished academic titles, legal arguments and appointments that have taken her to The Hague?

Those who have followed her career say her rise comes as little surprise.

Lawyer Philip Mugor, chairperson of the Senior Counsel Bar, recalls Okowa as an exceptionally bright and ambitious student who knew what she wanted to achieve.

“I have known Phoebe since she was a student, and even then, she struck me as someone who was exceptionally smart and ambitious, with a clear sense of where she wanted to go. It is therefore no surprise to me that she has been elected as a judge of the International Court of Justice. She will make the country proud, and as members of the Senior Counsel Bar, we are incredibly proud of her,” he says. 

Senior Counsel Ahmednasir Abdullahi also points to her academic record and contribution to international law as evidence of her suitability for the position.

“Phoebe is an internationally recognised scholar and one of Kenya's leading international law experts. She is eminently qualified for the role, and her career and body of published work speak for themselves. We are delighted, both as Kenyans and members of the legal fraternity. They could not have picked a better person, and we are confident she will represent the country with distinction.”

From Kericho to Oxford

Born in Kericho on January 1, 1965, Okowa began her legal studies at the University of Nairobi, where she graduated in 1987 with a Bachelor of Laws degree, First Class Honours.

She then joined the Kenya School of Law, obtaining a Diploma in Legal practice in 1988, before proceeding to the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.

At Oxford, she earned a Bachelor of Civil Law degree in 1990 and later completed a doctorate in Public International Law in 1994.

She was admitted to the Kenyan Bar in October 1990, but her career would extend beyond legal practice into academia and international institutions.

Okowa began teaching at the University of Bristol in 1994, where she worked until 2001. In 2002, she joined Queen Mary University of London as a senior lecturer in public international law. She was then promoted to reader in 2006 and appointed professor of public international law in 2014.

Her research has focused on state responsibility, international environmental law, the use of force, accountability for international crimes and the protection of natural resources during armed conflict.

She has also held visiting academic appointments at institutions including New York University School of Law, Stockholm University and the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva.

Her scholarship explored complex questions such as the responsibility of states for environmental damage, the legal consequences of armed conflict and the obligations governments owe to other countries.

Among her notable publications is “State Responsibility for Transboundary Air Pollution in International Law,” published by Oxford University Press in 2000. She also co-edited “Environmental Law and Justice in Context,” published by Cambridge University Press in 2009.

Making her mark in international law

Okowa has earned recognition through appointments to several international legal institutions.

In 2021, she was elected to the United Nations International Law Commission, becoming the first African woman to serve on the body since its establishment in 1947.

The commission comprises independent legal experts mandated to promote the progressive development and codification of international law.

Three years later, she chaired its Drafting Committee during the commission's 75th session, contributing to its work on developing international legal principles.

Her achievements have also earned her several honours.

In 2022, she received the Elder of the Order of the Burning Spear (EBS) in recognition of her service to international law. The same year, Strathmore University awarded her the CB Madan Laureate award for her contribution to the international rule of law.

Stockholm University awarded her an honorary Doctor of Laws degree in 2024 in recognition of her contribution to legal scholarship.

She also served as a member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague from 2017 to 2022. The institution provides a forum for resolving disputes involving states, state entities and other parties.

The ICJ judge’s contribution to international law has not been limited to academic research, teaching and legal commissions. She has also represented governments in disputes before international courts and tribunals, bringing practical experience to the legal principles she has spent much of her career studying.

One of her most prominent assignments was representing Kenya as co-counsel in its maritime boundary dispute with Somalia before the ICJ.

The case, formally known as ‘Maritime Delimitation in the Indian Ocean (Somalia v Kenya),’ concerned competing claims over the maritime boundary between the two countries.

She also served as co-counsel and advocate for Myanmar in proceedings brought by The Gambia under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide.

Her work has extended to cases concerning the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In 2024, she represented Namibia in proceedings before the ICJ on the legal consequences of Israel's policies and practices in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem.

She was also part of the legal teams representing Kenya, Namibia, Sierra Leone, The Gambia and the Commission of Small Island States in advisory proceedings on climate change before the ICJ.

The proceedings culminated in an advisory opinion delivered in July 2025, addressing states' obligations under international law to protect the climate system and the environment from greenhouse gas emissions.

Okowa also participated in climate change advisory proceedings before the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, representing Mozambique, Sierra Leone and the Commission of Small Island States.

Closer to the region, she also served as co-counsel and advocate for the Democratic Republic of Congo in proceedings against Rwanda before the East African Court of Justice between 2023 and 2025.

Her litigation record spans maritime boundary disputes, allegations of violations of international law and questions surrounding states' obligations on climate change.

Tenure at ICJ

Okowa first joined the ICJ on November 12, 2025, after being elected by the United Nations General Assembly and Security Council to fill a vacancy left by Somali judge Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf, who had resigned.

Her initial appointment covered the remainder of Yusuf's term, which was due to expire on February 5, 2027.

Her re-election on November 3, 2026, secured her a full nine-year mandate, running from February 6, 2027, to February 5, 2036.

She received 183 votes in the UN General Assembly and thirteen votes in the 15-member Security Council.

Her election followed the withdrawal of Sierra Leone's candidate, Professor Charles Chernor Jalloh, who subsequently supported her candidature in a process that maintained Africa's representation on the Court.

When she first joined the ICJ, Okowa became the first Kenyan to serve as a judge of the Court since its establishment in 1945. She also became the eighth woman to sit on the bench.

Chief Justice Martha Koome congratulated her on securing the full nine-year term, describing the achievement as recognition of her legal scholarship and commitment to international law and justice.

“I warmly congratulate Hon. Justice Prof. Phoebe Okowa on her election to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for a full nine-year term (2027–2036). This remarkable achievement is a testament to her distinguished legal scholarship, and unwavering commitment to international law and justice. It is a moment of immense pride for Kenya and a resounding affirmation of the confidence the international community has placed in her,” said Koome. 

Based in The Hague, the Netherlands, the ICJ is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. It settles legal disputes between states and issues advisory opinions on questions of international law referred to it by authorised UN institutions and agencies.

With a full nine-year term ahead, Judge Okowa will continue to serve on a court whose decisions and advisory opinions shape international relations, state accountability and the peaceful resolution of disputes.

Her appointment places her at the centre of those deliberations, building on a career that has taken her from UoN to some of the most prominent institutions in international law.