Britain's Dapo Akande Wins Seat on UN's Top Court, Ending Nine-Year Wait

Dapo Akande is heading to The Hague. The British lawyer has been elected as one of the International Court of Justice's 15 judges, winning a minimum nine-year term at the UN's top court — a result The Guardian reports as a significant diplomatic victory for Britain.

The win lands almost a decade after the UK was left without a judge on the bench for the first time. In 2017, Sir Christopher Greenwood unexpectedly lost his seat to his Indian rival, sending Britain into a round of soul-searching over its standing at the UN and its record on ICJ advisory opinions.

Akande qualified as a lawyer in Nigeria before building a career as one of the UK's leading international lawyers. He is a professor of public international law, a fellow of All Souls College, Oxford, and an elected member of the UN's International Law Commission, with a track record as counsel, adviser and expert in cases before international courts and tribunals — including the ICJ itself.

In his own words, he is ready for the job. "I am deeply honoured to be elected to the international court of justice," he said, thanking the states that backed him and pledging to serve "with independence" and decide cases on a faithful, impartial application of the law. He added that he looks forward to helping the court resolve disputes by peaceful means.

Lord chancellor Alex Norris campaigned hard for Akande, calling him a formidable addition at a moment when international law is under pressure. "Prof Akande brings the independence, legal rigour, judgment and breadth of perspective that the court needs," Norris said, while urging states that haven't yet accepted the court's compulsory jurisdiction to consider doing so.

The election also brushes against one of Britain's thorniest legal fights. After the UN general assembly voted in 2016 to refer the disputed status of the Chagos Islands to the ICJ, the court ruled for Mauritius, and the current Labour government struck a deal to settle the matter. That legal process is now stalled in parliament over objections from the Trump administration.