A Moroccan, a Lebanese, and a Somali… 3 Arab judges at the International Court of Justice | Encyclopedia

Among the members of the International Court of Justice who are considering the case brought by South Africa against Israel in early January 2024, there are 3 Arab judges, namely the Moroccan Muhammad Bennouna, the Lebanese Nawaf Salam, and the Somali Abdul Qawi Yusuf, all of whom are experts in international law and have previously held diplomatic and political positions. Thin.

The International Court of Justice consists of 15 judges for a term of 9 years, elected by the United Nations General Assembly and the Security Council. These two devices vote simultaneously but separately from each other.

The court does not include more than one judge of the same nationality. Elections are held every 3 years to choose a third of the seats, and outgoing members may be re-elected. The members of the court do not represent their governments, but are independent judges.

Below is a brief introduction to the three Arab judges who are members of the International Court of Justice, before which South Africa, at the beginning of January 2024, brought a case against Israel on charges of war crimes and genocide.

Moroccan judge Mohamed Bennouna

• He was born on April 29, 1943 in the city of Marrakesh in southern Morocco.
• Graduated from The Hague Academy of International Law in 1970.
• Doctorate in international law and political sciences from the University of Nancy and the University of Paris.
• Professor and Dean of the Faculty of Law at Mohammed V University in Rabat.
• Lecturer in international law at several international institutes and universities.
• In 1976, he founded the Moroccan Legal, Political and Economic Review and served as its director.
• Member of the International Court of Justice since February 2006, re-elected in February 2015.
• Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Morocco to the United Nations from 2001-2006.
• Judge at the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia in The Hague from 1998 to 2001.
• Judge at the International Court of Justice in the border dispute file between Benin and Niger.
• Member of the Moroccan delegation to the United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea from 1974 to 1982.
• Chairman of the Sixth Committee of the United Nations General Assembly during the 59th session of the Assembly.
• Chairman of the United Nations Compensation Commission in Geneva.
• Legal advisor to the Moroccan delegation to several sessions of the United Nations General Assembly.
• Member of the International Commission on the Ethics of Scientific Knowledge and Technology established by UNESCO (1992-1998).
• Member of the International Commission on Democracy and Development established by UNESCO (1997-2002).
• Order of the Throne in Morocco.
• National Prize for Culture in Morocco.
• Medal of Honor from the Elysee Palace in France.
• His books include: “International Law Concerning Raw Materials” (1982) – “International Development Law: The Third World and the Application of International Law” (1983) – “United Nations Economic Sanctions” (2002) – “International Law between the Letter and the Spirit” (2017).

Lebanese judge Nawaf Salam

• He was born on December 15, 1953.
• His grandfather is “Abu Ali” Salim Salam, one of Lebanon’s notables and politicians, and the founder of the “Reform Movement in Beirut.”
• Lebanese university professor, jurist, and diplomat.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Law from the Lebanese University in Beirut.
• Master’s degree in Law from Harvard University.
• Doctorate in political sciences from the Institute of Political Studies in Paris.
• He holds a doctorate in history from the Sorbonne University and worked as a lecturer there.
• Lecturer at the American University of Beirut.
• Professor and academic advisor in a number of international institutes and universities.
• Visiting scholar at the Weatherhead Center for International Relations at Harvard University.
• He practiced the legal profession.
• Member of the International Court of Justice since February 2018.
• Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Lebanon to the United Nations in New York between July 2007 and December 2017.
• Representative of Lebanon in the UN Security Council from 2010 to 2011 as a non-permanent member.
• President of the UN Security Council on behalf of his country from May 2010 to September 2011.
• Vice-President of the 67th session of the United Nations General Assembly from September 2012 to the same month of 2013.
• Representative of Lebanon in the Economic and Social Council at the United Nations from 2016 to 2018.
• He led Lebanese delegations in several international and regional forums.
• Member of several UN missions to several countries, especially African ones.
• Legal advisor to several institutions and bodies inside and outside Lebanon.
• He was a candidate for prime minister in Lebanon.
• He was elected a member of the executive office of the first Economic and Social Council in Lebanon between 1999 and 2002.
• In 2005, the Council of Ministers appointed him to the committee charged with preparing a draft of a new electoral law in Lebanon.
• Among his books are: “Lebanon in the Security Council: 2010 – 2011” – “Taif Imbalances and the Need for Constitutional Reform” (2007) – “The Crisis of the League of Arab States” (2005) – “Reform of the Electoral System: A Comparative View” (2004) – “Agreement “Taif, a Critical Retrospective” (2003) – “Civil Society in the Arab World” (2002) – “Judicial Independence between Text and Application” (1996) – “Between Return and Settlement: Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon” (1994).

Somali judge Abdulqawi Yusuf

• He was born on September 12, 1948 in the town of Eyl in the northeast of the country.
• Bachelor’s degree in law from the Somali National University.
• Doctorate in political science and international law from the University of Geneva in 1980.
• Doctorate with honors in Law from London College.
• PhD from the University of Paris I.
• Honorary doctorate from KET University in India.
• Lecturer in law at the Somali National University between 1974 and 1981.
• Lecturer in international law at a number of universities around the world.
• Member of the International Court of Justice since February 2009.
• Deputy President of the Court from February 2015 to the same month in 2018.
• President of the Court from February 2018 to the same month in 2021.
• He speaks Italian, French, English, Arabic and Somali.
• Founder and Chairman of the African Institute of International Law.
• Founding member of the African Association of International Law.
• Chairman of the Executive Committee of the African Foundation for International Law.
• Legal advisor to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
• His books include: “African Unity and International Law” (2017) – “Cultural Property and International Trade Law” (2016) – “The African Union: The Legal and Institutional Framework” (2013).