Ugandan Judge Julia Sebutinde Poised for ICJ Presidency

Uganda and Africa’s first female International Court of Justice (ICJ) judge, Julia Sebutinde, is poised for the presidency.

The Ugandan jurist will take the helm following current President Nawaf Salam’s departure to form Lebanon’s next government.

In a press release, ICJ announced that Judge Nawaf Salam, President of the International Court of Justice, had resigned as a Member of the Court with effect from January 14, 2025.

His term as Member and President of the Court was due to expire on 5 February 2027.

“In accordance with Article 14 of the Statute of the Court, it will be for the Security Council to fix the date for the election of his successor by the General Assembly and the Security Council. As provided for by Article 15 of the Statute, the judge then elected will complete Judge Salam’s term as Member of the Court,” ICJ said.

Judge Salam became a Member of the Court on 6 February 2018 and its President on 6 February 2024. Before joining the Court, Judge Salam was Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Lebanon to the United Nations in New York, a position he held from July 2007 to December 2017.

The resignation of an ICJ president leads to a process involving the UN Security Council, the General Assembly, and the Court itself to fill the vacancy and elect a new president to ensure the continued functioning of the principal judicial organ of the United Nations.

Sebutinde and Salam were both elected to their ICJ positions in February 2024, making this rapid transition particularly noteworthy in the court’s history.

Her elevation to the presidency not only marks a personal achievement but also comes at a critical time for international justice and Middle East diplomacy.

Sebutinde’s international prominence grew with her 2005 appointment to the Special Court for Sierra Leone war crimes tribunal, where she played a crucial role in the landmark trial of Liberian President Charles Taylor.

Her appointment to the ICJ in February 2012 broke new ground as she became the first woman from Africa to serve on the court.

Credit: Agencies