Judge Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf of Somalia was on Tuesday elected the President of the International Court Of Justice (ICJ) for a term of three years.
He was elected by his peer at the ICJ headquarters in The Hague Netherlands.
Judge Xue Hanqin of China was elected the Vice President.
Yusuf has been a member of the ICJ since February 2009. On February 6, 2015 he was elected vice-president of the court.
Yusuf is the founder and General Editor of the African Yearbook of International Law He is also one of the founders of the African Foundation for International Law, as well as the chairperson of its Executive Committee.
Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed Farmaajo congratulated for his achievements
“Congratulations to Judge Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf on his election as the president of ICJ Judge Abdulqawi has had a stellar career; born in Eyl, Member of the Court since Feb 2009 ; Vice-President of the Court from 6 Feb 2015 to 6 Feb 2018; Now elected President of the Court” Farmaajo tweeted.
Judge Yusuf was born in Eyl a north eastern Somalia coastal town in 1948.
A holder of a Phd. in International Law Yusuf graduated from the Somali National University before proceeding to University of Florence in Italy and Graduate Institute of International Studies of Geneva Switzerland.