News(Saxilnews.com)-
The International Court of Justice has elected a Somali-born judge as the vice president of the Hague-based court.
In a press statement released on Feb. 6, the ICJ said Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf, 66, who has been a member of the court since 2009, was chosen as the vice president of ICJ.
Ronny Abraham of France becomes the ICJ’s president.
Abdulqawi, born in the coastal city of Eyl in 1948, received his law degree from the Somali National University in 1976. He was Somalia’s representative to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea from 1975 to 1981, according to his profile on the ICJ website.
He currently serves on the advisory board of The Hague Institute for Global Justice.
Abdulqawi is the founder and editor of the African Yearbook of International Law.
The ICJ, United Nations’ highest court, settles legal disputes submitted to it by member states, such as the ongoing maritime border dispute between Kenya and Somalia.
In August, Somalia took Kenya to the ICJ in an attempt to regain authority over its territorial waters, including areas potentially rich in oil and gas reserves.
The court also gives advisory opinions on legal matters referred to it by duly authorized United Nations organs and specialized agencies.
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