Morocco judge Bennouna re-elected at ICJ

Mr. Bennouna got 159 votes (the highest score), more than the required absolute majority is 97 votes in the General Assembly and 14 votes in the UN Security Council the majority of 8 votes out the 15 Member States in this election by secret ballot.

 Seven towers were needed in both bodies to decide between the candidates to fill the five vacant seats. Accordance with the Statute of the ICJ, the rules of procedure of the General Assembly and the Provisional Rules of Procedure of the UN Security Council, the vote will be concluded when the five candidates have obtained an absolute majority in both bodies.

Initially, nine candidates were running before the withdrawal of Mauritania (before the opening of the voting process), and Madagascar and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The latter two withdrew their candidates because of the low scores achieved. From the beginning of the voting process, Mr. Bennouna appeared with the candidate of the United States in the lead with a score between 147 and 165.

The other three candidates who joined the Court has 15 judges elected Joan E. Donoghue are (USA), Kirill Gevorgian (Russia) and James Richard Crawford (Australia). The other two candidates who remain in contention, Jamaica and Argentina, will be decided Friday in a new vote.

The Fifteen judges at the ICJ must ensure, as a whole, represent the main forms of civilization and the principal legal systems of the world. This principle is reflected in practice by a division of the members of the Court of the principal regions of the world today is as follows: Africa (3), Latin America and Caribbean (2), Asia (3) Western Europe and Others (5) and Eastern Europe (2).

Under Article 2 of the Statute of the Court, judges are elected, regardless of their nationality from among persons of high moral character, who possess the qualifications required for appointment in their respective countries appointment to the highest judicial offices, or are jurisconsults of recognized competence in international law.

Founded in 1946, the ICJ is headquartered in The Hague (Netherlands), is the principal judicial organ of the UN. Its jurisdiction is twofold: First, the Court settles legal disputes between States Parties, and secondly, it gives advisory opinions to the UN and its specialized agencies.