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STORY: UN / ICJ MEMBER ELECTION
TRT: 07:03
SOURCE: UNIFEED
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS
DATELINE: 11 NOVEMBER 2025, NEW YORK CITY / FILE
FILE - NEW YORK CITY
1. Wide shot, exterior United Nations Headquarters
11 NOVEMBER 2025, NEW YORK CITY
2. Wide shot, General Assembly
3. Various shots, delegations
4. Various shots, ballot distribution
5. Various shots, ballot collection
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Annalena Baerbock, President, General Assembly:
“Phoebe Okowa, Kenya, 78. Charles Chernor Jalloh, Sierra Leone, 58. Taoheed Olufemi Elias, Nigeria, 40. Paul Kuruk, Ghana nine. Since no candidate has obtained an absolute majority and in accordance with the decision taken at the beginning of this meeting, we shall proceed to another ballot under one candidate obtains an absolute majority.”
6. Various shots, ballot collection at the Security Council
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Michael Imran Kanu, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Sierra Leone:
“Mr. Taoheed Olufemi Elias, three. Mr. Charles Chernor Jalloh, five. Mr. Paul Kuruk, one. Miss Phoebe Okowa, six. As no candidate has received the required majority of votes in the Security Council in accordance with article 11 of the statute of the Court, the Council will proceed to a second ballot to elect a member of the International Court of Justice”
8. Wide shot, General Assembly
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Annalena Baerbock, President, General Assembly:
“The representative of Ghana has informed me of the decision to withdraw the candidature of Paul Kuruk, Ghana, from the current election.”
10. Various shots, GA ballot collection
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Annalena Baerbock, President, General Assembly:
“Phoebe Okowa, Kenya, 91. Charles Chernor Jalloh, Sierra Leone, 66. Taoheed Olufemi Elias, Nigeria, 31. Since no candidate has obtained an absolute majority and in accordance with the decision taking at the beginning of this meeting, we shall proceed to another ballot until one candidate obtains an absolute majority.”
12. Various shots, ballot collection at the Security Council
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Michael Imran Kanu, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Sierra Leone:
“The voting in the Security Council was conclusive, but the voting in the General Assembly was inconclusive. The Council will therefore wait for the balloting process in the General Assembly to be completed.”
14. Various shots, GA ballot collection
15. SOUNDBITE (English) Annalena Baerbock, President, General Assembly:
“Phoebe Okowa, Kenya 104.”
16. Wide shot, Kenya’s delegation applauding
17. SOUNDBITE (English) Annalena Baerbock, President, General Assembly:
“Charles Chernor Jalloh, Sierra Leone, 61. Taoheed Olufemi Elias, Nigeria 23. Phoebe Okowa of Kenya has obtained an absolute majority in the Assembly.”
18. Wide shot, Council
19. SOUNDBITE (English) Michael Imran Kanu, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Sierra Leone:
"Mr. Taoheed Olufemi Elias, one; Mr. Charles Chernor Jalloh, eight; Miss Phoebe Okoye, six. Accordingly, the candidate, Mr. Charles Jalloh, received the required majority of vote in the security Council.”
20. Med shot, Kanu speaking
21. SOUNDBITE (English) Michael Imran Kanu, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Sierra Leone:
“As no candidate has received the required absolute majority of votes in both the Council and the General Assembly. In accordance with article 11 of the statutes of the court, the Council will hold a second meeting and will proceed to a third ballot to elect a member of the International Court of Justice.”
22. Wide shot, GA
23. SOUNDBITE (English) Syndoph Paebi Endoni, Chargé d'affaires, Permanent Mission to the United Nations, Nigeria:
“For purposes of having, clear outcomes, the Nigerian candidate is hereby stepping down to enable the Assembly to proceed appropriately to elect, the candidate of choice of the General Assembly.”
24. Various shots, Security Council and General Assembly ballot collection
25. SOUNDBITE (English) Michael Imran Kanu, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Sierra Leone:
“Mr. Charles Chernor Jalloh, seven. Miss Phoebe Okoye, eight. Accordingly, the candidate, Miss Phoebe Okoye, received the required majority of votes in the Security Council.”
26. Wide shot, GA
27. SOUNDBITE (English) Annalena Baerbock, President, General Assembly:
“Phoebe Okoye, Kenya, 106 votes. Charles Chernor Jalloh, Sierra Leone, 79 votes. Phoebe Okoye of Kenya has obtained an absolute majority in the Assembly.”
28. Wide shot, GA
29. SOUNDBITE (English) Annalena Baerbock, President, General Assembly:
“As a result of the independent voting in the Assembly and the Council, Phoebe Okowa of Kenya has obtained an absolute majority in both organs. Phoebe Okoye of Kenya is therefore newly elected a member of the International Court of Justice to serve for a term of office commencing today, 12 November 2025 and ending on February 5th, 27.”
30. Wide shot, Kenya’s delegation celebrating
31. Wide shot, GA
After various rounds of voting, the General Assembly and the Security Council today (12 Nov) elected Phoebe Okowa of Kenya as a Member of the International Court of Justice, with immediate effect.
The other candidates included Dr Olufemi Elias of Nigeria, Charles Jalloh of Sierra Leone, and Paul Kuruk of Ghana.
Kuruk and Elias withdrew their candidacies after several rounds of voting failed to reach the required majority on both chambers.
In the final round, Okowa obtained 106 votes against Jalloh’s 79 votes in the General Assembly, and 8 votes to 7 in the Council.
Okowa succeeds Judge Abdulqawi A. Yusuf, who resigned as a Member of the Court with effect from 30 September 2025. Okowa will hold office for the remainder of her predecessor’s term, which was due to expire on 5 February 2027.
