Nigerian judge Chile Eboe-Osuji appointed as ICC president

The judges of the International Criminal Court, sitting in a plenary session has elected Nigerian Judge Chile Eboe-Osuji as President of the Court for a three-year term with immediate effect. Judge Robert Fremr from the Czech Republic was elected First Vice-President with Judge Marc Perrin de Brichambaut of France as Second Vice-President.

The election took place on Sunday, March 11, 2018, according to the information made available on the ICC website.

The Nigerian Judge Chile Eboe-Osuji in his acceptance speech says:

“I am deeply honoured to have been elected by my peers as President of the International Criminal Court. As I take up my duties, I feel encouraged that I am able to rely on the wide experience of the two Vice-Presidents, Judge Robert Fremr and Judge Marc Perrin de Brichambaut, both of whom I have closely worked with previously. I look forward to working together with them as well as with all the judges, all the Officials and the staff of the Court in a spirit of collegiality.

I also look forward to collaborating with the Assembly of States Parties, civil society and the international community at large, acting together to strengthen and reinforce the Rome Statute system, the 20th anniversary of the adoption of which we celebrate this year.

I am also grateful to the previous President, Judge Silvia Fernández de Gurmendi, and Vice-Presidents, Judges Joyce Aluoch and Kuniko Ozaki, for their work and leadership.”

The Presidency - consisting of the President and the two Vice-Presidents - plays a key role in providing strategic leadership to the ICC as a whole.