The Namibian government has defended choosing Professor Phoebe Okowa, a Kenyan, to represent the country at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in Hague, Netherlands on Friday, February 23.
While the move attracted widespread criticism, Justice Executive Director Gladice Pickering explained that there was no lawyer in Namibia who met the qualifications that they were looking for.
She was forced to make the revelation after Namibians accused the government of sidelining local counsels.
Pickering remarked that the claims of local counsels being dismissed were not entirely accurate as no one had the expertise to prosecute the ICJ case involving the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
“We needed to get an expert in public international law and that person has experience at the ICJ,” she explained.
“We do not have the person in Namibia meeting both criteria.”
Pickering added that the Namibia cabinet was presented with Okowa’s academic qualifications in public international law.
The cabinet also put into consideration its prior approval to have Okowa work on a submission at the ICJ that Namibia is making regarding the impact of climate change.
Pickering further remarked that Professor Okowa already had a head start as she had made a previous appearance at the ICJ.
“She is the first African female person to serve on the international law commission and an expert in her own right,” Pickering stated.
Okowa who is an advocate of the Kenya High Court earned her professorship in Public International Law at Queen Mary University of London where she serves as director of graduate studies.
She is also an arbiter to the Permanent Court of Arbitration at the Hague having been nominated in 2017.
The distinguished professor started her law journey at the University of Nairobi where she graduated at the top of her class with a Bachelor of Law (LLB) with First Class Honours.
Notable universities where she has taught law in different capacities include; Bristol, Lille, Helsinki Stockholm and WZB Berlin Social Science Center for Global Constitutionalism.
