General Assembly: 35th and 36th plenary meeting, 81st session

Please be seated. Good morning to all of you. The 35th plenary meeting of the General Assembly is called to order. The Assembly will take up sub-item C of agenda item 117, for the election of five members of the International Court of Justice for a nine-year term of office commencing on 6 February 2027. The documentation under this item is listed in the Journal of the United Nations. The judges whose terms of office expire on 5 February 2027 are listed in the memorandum by the Secretary-General. Information on the nominated candidates is contained in the notes by the Secretary-General. The list of candidates, indicating the national groups by which each candidate was nominated, is contained in document A/81/118 as amended by A/81/118/Adndm I and A/81/118/Adndm II. I should like to inform members of the Assembly.

That I have received a letter addressed to me by the Legal Counsel.

Dated 2 November 2026, informing me, on behalf of the Secretary-General, that after the established deadline for nominating candidates, namely 24 June 2026, three national groups submitted nominations to the Secretariat.

I should like to draw the Assembly's attention to the fact that the additional nominations relate to candidates already nominated by other regional groups and whose names therefore already appear in document A/81/118. The legal counsel recommended that, in accordance with the established practice, I inform members of the Assembly orally on the day of the election about the decisions of the aforementioned national groups. I am also informed that the legal counsel made a similar recommendation to the President of the Security Council. The nominations of the aforementioned national groups are as follows: for Françoise Allabroun, France; Cameroon, Chile, and El Salvador; and for Rana Lee, Singapore, Cameroon. The names of the nominated candidates will appear on the ballot papers. I should like to confirm that at this time, the Assembly and the Security Council will proceed independently of one another to elect five members of the Court to fill the vacancies in accordance with article 8 of the Statute of the Court. The election will be held in accordance with the Statute of the Court, particularly particularly articles 2 to 4, 7 to 12, and rules 150 and 151 of the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly. According to article 2 of the Statute, members of the Court are to be elected, regardless of their nationality, from among persons of high moral character who possess the qualifications required in the respective countries for appointment to the highest judicial offices or are jurisconsults of recognized competence in international law. Article 9 requires electors to bear in mind not only that the person to be elected should individually possess the qualifications required, but also that in the body as a whole, the representation of the main forms of civilization and of the principal legal systems of the world should be assured. Those candidates who obtain an absolute majority of votes, both in the Assembly and in the Council, will be considered as elected, pursuant to Article 10, paragraph 1, of the Statute. The consistent practice of the United Nations has been to interpret the words "absolute majority" as meaning a majority of all electors, whether or not they vote or are allowed to vote. The electors of the Assembly will be all 193 Member States. Accordingly, 97 votes constitute an absolute majority in the Assembly for the purpose of the present elections. Only the candidates whose names appear on the ballot papers are eligible for election. The electors in the Assembly will indicate the candidates for whom they wish to vote by placing a cross against their names on the ballot papers. Each elector may vote for no more than five candidates on the first ballot and on subsequent ballot, if any, for five less the number of candidates who have already obtained absolute majorities. Once again, each elector may vote for not more than five candidates on the first ballot and on subsequent ballot, if any, for five less the number of candidates who have already obtained absolute majorities. In accordance with articles 5 and 7 of the Statute, no additional candidates may be nominated on the day of elections. At the 910th plenary meeting of the Assembly, on 16 November 1960, a procedural discussion was held as to whether rule 94, which was then rule 96, of the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly should be applied in elections to the Court. That rule lays down a procedure for restricted ballots in the event that, after the first ballot, the requisite number of candidates have not obtained the required majority. The Assembly decided that the rule did not apply to elections to the Court and proceeded to elect the requisite number of candidates by a series of unrestricted ballots. That decision has been followed consistently thereafter. Accordingly, if in the first ballot, in either the Assembly or the Council, the number of candidates obtaining an absolute majority is fewer than five, a second ballot will be held and balloting will continue at the same meeting until five candidates have obtained the required majority, pursuant to Rule 151 of the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly. If, however, In the first or subsequent ballots, more than five candidates obtain an absolute majority, the Assembly shall follow the established practice and proceed to a new vote on all the candidates. Balloting will continue in the same manner until only five of the candidates have obtained the required majority. Only when five candidates, not more or fewer, have obtained the required majority in the Assembly, will the President of the Assembly notify the President of the Council of the names of the five candidates. Upon the exchange of notifications between the Assembly and the Council informing each other that the same candidates have received the absolute majority in both the Assembly and the Council, each organ will announce that the candidates have been elected. If, upon comparison of the respective lists of candidates who have obtained an absolute majority in the Assembly and in the Council, fewer than five candidates have been thus elected, the Assembly and the Council will proceed again independently of one another. at a second meeting, and, if necessary, a third meeting, to elect candidates by further ballots for the seats remaining vacant, pursuant to Article 11 of the Statute, the results again being compared after the required number of candidates have obtained an absolute majority in each organ, General Assembly and Security Council. If, however, after the third meeting, one or more seats still remain unfilled, The procedure set out in Article 12 of the Statute may be resorted to at the request of either the Assembly or the Council. The first meeting held for the purpose of the election, as referred to in Article 11 of the Statute of the Court, will be adjourned upon the exchange of notifications and the announcement of the results in both organs. May I take it that the Assembly agrees to these procedures at this election?

It is so decided.

I should like to remind representatives that, pursuant to rule 88 of the Rules of Procedure, after the President has announced the beginning of voting, no representative shall interrupt the voting except on a point of order in connection with the actual conduct of the voting. Once again, After the President has announced the beginning of voting, no representative shall interrupt the voting except on a point of order in connection with the actual conduct of the voting. In announcements, including those concerning withdrawals of a candidate, should therefore be made prior to the commencement of the voting process, that is to say, before the announcement of the beginning of the voting process.

We shall now begin the voting process.

Ballot papers will now be distributed. Ballot papers will only be given to delegates seated directly behind the country's nameplate. Representatives are requested to use only the ballot papers that are now being distributed. Only the candidates whose names appear on the ballot papers are eligible for election. Representatives will indicate no more than five candidates for whom they wish to vote by placing a cross at the left of the name of the ballot paper. Ballot papers on which more than five names are checked will be considered invalid. If a ballot paper contains any notation other than a vote in favor of the eligible candidates, those notations will be disregarded. A blank ballot paper will be considered an abstention.

If a mistake is made in filling out the ballot.

Paper, delegations should request a new ballot paper from the Secretariat at the front of the hall.

Distinguished delegates, I invite the representatives of the following States to act as tellers and to accompany the conference officers as they collect the ballot papers: Bahamas, Germany, Mozambique, Philippines, Qatar, and Serbia. Please proceed. Please proceed to collect the ballot papers. May I request delegations who may not have voted?

To do so now by approaching the podium to cast their votes.

I see none.

Therefore, the voting is now closed. No more ballot papers will be accepted.

I suspend this meeting for 45 minutes. We'll resume at 11:15. The meeting is suspended.

Okay. Yes, I do. I don't like this. Ready to jump in? He was, but he probably couldn't. Thank you.

Shining.

Yeah, okay.

The plenary meeting is resumed. The result of the voting is as follows: number of ballot papers, 191; number of invalid ballots, zero; Number of valid ballots, 191. Abstentions, zero. Number of members present and voting, 191. Absolute majority, 97. Number of individual votes obtained: Reina Lee, Singapore, 151. François Alabrun, France, 146. Dapo Akande, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 129. Phoebe N. Okoa, Kenya, 117. Mahmoud Daifallah Hamoud, Jordan, 106. Jin Hee-won, Republic of Korea, 92; Charles Chana Jalloh, Sierra Leone, 82; Marcelo Vázquez Bermúdez, Ecuador, 73; Luz del Carmen Ibáñez Carranza, Peru, 5. I have communicated the result of the vote to the President of the Council. I have also received from the President of the Security Council the following letter, which I am going to read out to you: Excellency, I have the honour to inform you that at the 10261st meeting of the Security Council held on 3 November 2026, for the purpose of electing five members of the International Court of Justice for a term of office beginning on 6 February 2027: Akande Dapo, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; François Alabrun, France; Mohammed Daifallah Ahmad, Jordan; Rena Lee, Singapore; and Vazquez, Bermudez, Marcelo, Ecuador obtained an absolute majority of votes. Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration. Now, as a result of the voting which has taken place independently in the Assembly and the Council, the following four candidates have obtained an absolute majority in both bodies: Dapo Akande, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; François Alabrun, France; Mahmoud Daifullah Ahmad, Jordan; and Rina Lee, Singapore. They are therefore duly elected members of the International Court of Justice. The newly elected members of the International Court of Justice, whose name I've just read out, will serve for a nine-year term commencing 6 February 2026. Sorry, 2027. I take this opportunity to extend to them the congratulations of the Assembly on their election. In accordance with the provisions of Article 11 of the Statute of the Court, it will be necessary to hold another meeting to fill the remaining vacancy. I propose that this meeting should be adjourned and the thirty-sixth meeting should be held immediately to vote on the remaining vacancy. The next meeting will reconvene immediately. This meeting is adjourned. The 36th Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly is convened for the purpose of continuing with the election of the members of the International Court of Justice. As Members are aware, and I have just mentioned in the previous session, there is still one vacancy on the.

Court to be filled.

The Assembly will now proceed to vote in respect of the remaining vacancy. I should like to remind representatives that, pursuant to rule 88 of the Rules of Procedure, after the President has announced the beginning of voting, no representative shall interrupt the voting except on a point of order in connection with the actual conduct of the voting. The announcements including those concerning withdrawals of a candidate, should therefore be made prior to the commencement of the voting process, that is to say, before the announcement of the beginning of the voting process. We shall now begin the voting process. Ballot papers will now be distributed. Ballot papers will only be given to a delegate seated directly behind their country's nameplate. Representatives are requested to use only the ballot papers that are now being distributed. Only the candidates whose names appear on the ballot papers are eligible for election. The names of the four candidates who have been elected, namely Dapo Akande, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, François Alabrun of France, Mahmoud Daifullah Hamoud of Jordan, and Rina Lee of Singapore have been deleted from the ballot. May I remind delegations that only the box next to the name of one candidate should be marked with a cross. Any ballot paper on which more than one name is checked will be considered invalid. If a ballot paper contains any notation other than. Please keep quiet. The meeting is in progress. Please keep quiet. If a ballot paper contains any notation other than a vote in favor of the eligible candidate, those notations will be disregarded. A blank ballot paper will be considered an abstention. If a mistake is made in filling out the ballot paper, delegations should request a new ballot paper from the Secretariat at the front of the hall.

Please stay quiet. A voting process is on, and I want you to show respect to this process.

I invite the representatives of the following States to act as tellers and to accompany the conference officers as they collect the ballot papers: Bahamas, Germany, Mozambique, Philippines, Qatar, and Serbia. Please proceed to collect the ballot papers. May I request delegations who may not have voted to do so now by approaching the podium to cast their votes? The voting is now closed. No more ballot papers will be accepted. I suspend the meeting for 30 minutes.

Yeah.

See you then.

Yeah, see you.

She's dominating. How are you? Thank you. Congratulations.

The plenary meeting is resumed. The result of the voting is as follows: number of ballot papers, 191; Number of invalid ballots, 2. Number of valid ballots, 189. Abstentions, 0. Number of members present and voting, 189. Absolute majority, 97. Number of individual votes obtained: Phoebe N. Okoa, Kenya, 89. Pye Jin Hee Won, Republic of Korea, 40. Marcelo Vasquez Bermudez, Ecuador, 30. Charles Channer Jalloh, Sierra Leone, 30. Luz del Carmen Ibanez Caranza, 0. Since no candidate has obtained an absolute majority in the previous round of balloting, the Assembly will proceed to another ballot to fill the remaining vacancy. The Assembly will now proceed with balloting. I should like to remind representatives that Pursuant to Rule 88 of the Rules of Procedure, after the President has announced the beginning of voting, no representative shall interrupt the voting except on a point of order in connection with the actual conduct of voting. Any announcements, including those concerning withdrawals of candidature, should therefore be made prior to the commencement of the voting process. That is to say, before the announcement of the beginning of the voting process.

Mr. President, Sierra Leone asking for the floor.

The distinguished representative of Sierra Leone has asked for the floor.

Thank you, Mr. President, for giving me the floor. I congratulate the candidates that have been elected by the General Assembly and the Security Council this morning. I take the floor on behalf of the Republic of Sierra Leone to announce that my government has decided to withdraw the candidature of Professor Charles Tcheano Jalloh for elections to the International Court of Justice, and to give its full support to Judge Phoebe Okowa of the Republic of Kenya. We did not take this decision lightly. Professor Jallow is one of the finest international lawyers of his generation. He was endorsed by ECOWAS, the African Union, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and co-nominated by 13 member states from every region of the world. To each delegation that places trust in him, Sierra Leone offers its deepest gratitude. That trust was well placed. Professor Jalloh's work for international law will continue. Mr. President, Sierra Leone has said many times that Africa's two candidates were not competing for one seat. We still believe that. Africa has 54 member states, more than a quarter of this organization. and holds only three of the 15 seats on the court. That is 20% of the bench. No other region is as underrepresented. The status quo is unfair, and it must change. But today we face a harder reality. If Africa's votes stay divided, the continent risks losing even the one seat now open to it. and falling further below its already inadequate share. Sierra Leone will not let that happen. Saving Africa’s seat matters more than any one national candidate. Our decision puts the continent first. Mr. President, Judge Okowa needs no introduction to this Assembly. She was the first African woman elected to the International Law Commission. Since this Assembly and the Security Council elected her last year, she has served the Court with distinction. She brings deep scholarship, practical experience before the Court, and a commitment to integrity of international law. Her election would also strengthen the representation of women on the Bench. Article 9 of the Statute asks electors to ensure that the Court as a whole represents the main forms of civilization and the principal legal systems of the world. Africa's common law, civil law, Islamic law, and customary traditions belong on that bench. So do the African states that have brought their disputes to the Court time and again. I therefore appeal to all Member States in Africa and every other region, and to the members of the Security Council and the General Assembly, to vote for George Phibio Okohwa Supporting her is not a favor to Africa. It is the right thing to do for the Court, for fairness, and for the authority of international law. Africa will continue to press for fair representation. It is owed here and in every principal organ of this organization. I thank you.

Excellencies, distinguished delegates, ladies and gentlemen, we have just heard a statement by the representative of Sierra Leone informing of the decision to withdraw the candidature of Charles Tannor Jalloh from the current elections. May I take it that all national groups that nominated the candidature of Charles Tannor Jalloh have no objections? I see no objection. Charles Chana Jalloh is therefore no longer a candidate, and his name will be deleted from the ballot papers on this and any subsequent rounds of balloting. I now suspend this meeting for 20 minutes to inform the President of the Security Council of the withdrawal of Charles Tshernougel and to allow time for the Secretariat to prepare new ballot papers. The meeting is suspended for 20 minutes.

Thank you.

What a great Hi! Oh.

The meeting is resumed. The Assembly will now proceed with the balloting. I should like to remind representatives that pursuant to Rule 88 of the Rules of Procedure, after the President has announced the beginning of voting, no representative shall interrupt the voting except on a point of order in connection with the actual conduct of voting. Any announcements, including those concerning withdrawals of candidature, should therefore be made prior to the commencement of the voting process, that is to say, before the announcement of the beginning of the voting process. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Ecuador.

Thank you very much, Mr. President. Please allow me to begin by thanking the distinguished candidates who are now elected judges, distinguished representatives who have demonstrated trajectory that is committed to international law, and that we are sure will contribute to safeguarding international law, and that the Court can continue along that track. And it's this very same spirit that Ecuador put forward the candidacy of the Ambassador Marcelo Vázquez Bermúdez, who has an impeccable record that has been proven throughout his career in the law, and also he has proven himself in the 40 years that he served as a diplomat in our foreign service. And this motivated Ecuador to put forward an exceptional candidate that we were convinced would be able to contribute to what I just mentioned a moment ago, for the Court to remain this universal court with representation from all of the regions and all of the different legal systems and all different civilisations, aware that Article 2 of the Statute of the Court that precisely refers to the legal competencies of the candidates, read alongside Article 9 of the Statute, is what motivated us to present the candidacy of Ambassador Vázquez Bermúdez on this occasion. Furthermore, I wish to underscore, Mr President, distinguished colleagues, that since the Court was created, in 1946, the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean had been represented by at least two judges, sometimes on occasion three or even four judges. This will be the first occasion where this will not be the case, because aware of the reality that we're seeing here and that the candidates have shown with the support from the majority of the membership, is that Ecuador has decided to withdraw the candidacy of Ambassador Marcelo Vázquez Bermúdez. Thank you, colleagues, for the support that you have provided to us, and we're very grateful to you for understanding the importance of this election at a time in which we need all of us here at this august assembly to contribute to the strengthening of international law and the international rule of law. Thank you very much for your kind attention, distinguished colleagues.

We have just heard a statement by the distinguished representative of Ecuador, informing of the decision to withdraw the candidature of Marcelo Vásquez Bermúdez. May I take it that all the national groups that nominated the candidature of Marcelo Vásquez Bermúdez have no objections? I see no objection. Therefore, Marcelo Vasquez Bermudez is no longer a candidate, and his name will be deleted from the ballot papers on this and any subsequent rounds of balloting. I now give the floor to the representative of the Republic of Korea.

President, I would like to inform the Assembly that the Republic of Korea has decided to withdraw the candidacy of Judge Jinyoun Baek from the election to the International Court of Justice. This was not an easy decision, given Judge Baek’s outstanding qualification and our strong commitment to his candidacy. I would like to express our sincere gratitude to all Member States that have supported our candidate throughout the election. We have made decision in a spirit of cooperation and with a view to facilitating the smooth conclusion of the election. The Republic of Korea remains firmly committed to upholding international law and supporting the important role of the International Court of Justice. Thank you, Mr. President.

We have just heard a statement by the distinguished representative of Republic of Korea, informing of the decision to withdraw the candidature of Park Jin-hyoun from the current elections. May I take it that all the national groups that nominated the candidature of Park Jin-hyoun have no objections? I see no objection. Park Jin-hyoun is therefore no longer a candidate, and his name will be deleted from the ballot papers on this and in subsequent rounds of balloting. I now suspend the meeting for 20 minutes to inform the President of the Security Council of the withdrawal and to allow time for the Secretariat to prepare new ballot papers. The meeting is suspended for 20 minutes.

So we'll do the voting.

Yes, yes. And we have to announce even if it's a one-time.

It's a great day. You can be very patient. Committee. Thank you.

So, but not yet. If it comes, not yet. If it comes, not yet.

The meeting is resumed. I understand that the distinguished representative of Peru has requested for the floor. You have the floor.

Mr.

President, I wish to reiterate to this General Assembly that the candidacy of Dr. Lucy Ibañez was not presented by Peru, nor did she have a report at any time during this electoral process. I'd like to make it very clear, Mr. President, that the candidacy of Dr. Lucy Ibañez was not put forward by Peru, nor did her candidacy have our support at any time during this electoral process. The candidacy of Dr. Ibañez was presented by another country from our region, receiving the support from the national group of that country. As a result, Mr. President, Peru strongly reaffirms our desire to seek consensus in compliance with the principles and purposes of the United Nations Charter. Thank you very much.

I thank the distinguished representative of Peru. Is there any other request for the floor? I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Mexico.

Thank you very much, Mr. President. In terms of what the delegation of the Republic of Peru just stated, we would like to clarify, like we did at the right time to that country, that the National Group Arbitrage of Mexico is independent and autonomous from the Government of Mexico. In this regard, my delegation wishes to clarify that any nomination or withdrawal of any nomination from any national group does not represent an endorsement from the Government of Mexico. Thank you.

Thank you. I don't have any other request for the floor. The Assembly will now proceed with the balloting. We shall now begin with the voting process. Ballot papers will now be distributed. Ballot papers will only be given to the delegate seated directly behind the country's nameplate. All the candidates whose names appear on the ballot paper are eligible. Representatives are requested to use only the ballot papers that are now being distributed. Only the candidates whose names appear on the ballot papers are eligible for election. Representatives will indicate no more than one candidate for whom they wish to vote by placing a cross at the left of the name on the ballot paper. Ballot papers on which more than one name is checked will be considered invalid. If a ballot paper contains any notation other than a vote in favor of the eligible candidate, those notations will be disregarded. A blank ballot paper will be considered an abstention. If a mistake is made in filling out the ballot paper, delegations should request a new ballot paper from the Secretariat.

At the front of the hall.

I now invite the representatives of the following States to act as tellers and to accompany the conference officers as they collect the ballot papers: Bahamas, Germany, Mozambique, Philippines, Qatar, and Serbia. Please proceed to collect the ballot papers. May I request delegations who may not have voted to do so now by approaching the podium to cast their votes? The voting is now closed. No more ballot papers will be accepted. I suspend the meeting for five minutes, five minutes.

Thank you.

Yeah. 5 minutes.

The plenary meeting is resumed. The result of the voting is as follows: number of ballot papers, 191; number of invalid ballots, zero; number of valid ballots, 191; abstentions, six; number of members present and voting, 185, absolute majority, 97. Number of individual votes obtained: Phoebe N. Okoa of Kenya, 183; Luz Des Carmen Ibanez Caranza, Peru, 2. I have communicated the result of the vote to the President of the Council. And I've received from the President of the Council the following letter, which I'm reading. Excellency, I have the honor to inform you that at the 10,262nd meeting of the Security Council held on 3 September 2026 for the purpose of electing one member of the International Court of Justice for a term of office beginning on 6 February 2027, Okoa, Phoebe N. of Kenya obtained an absolute majority of votes. As a result of the voting which has taken place independently in the Assembly and the Council, Phoebe Okoa of Kenya has obtained an absolute majority in both bodies. The candidate is therefore a duly elected member of the International Court of Justice to serve for a nine-year term commencing 6 February 2027. I take this opportunity to extend to her the congratulations of the Assembly on her election, and I thank the tellers for their assistance in this election. I also thank the interpreters for their flexibility. This concludes our consideration of sub-item C of agenda item 117. The meeting is adjourned.

Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you.