Ramaphosa congratulates Prof Dire on International Court of Justice appointment

President Cyril Ramaphosa has congratulated Professor Dire Tladi after his election to the International Court of Justice – the first South African to serve in this capacity.

Tladi’s election comes after several ballots were conducted in both the UN General Assembly and the Security Council.

The institution, also known as the World Court, based in The Hague, consists of 15 judges – elected for nine-year terms – and settles disputes between states in accordance with international law and gives advisory opinions on questions of international law.

Excellence

Ramaphosa said Tladi’s election was an “outstanding personal achievement, which the nation shares with great pride”.

“We appreciate the confidence expressed by the United Nations in Prof Tladi’s capabilities. He becomes the newest member of a fraternity of South Africans globally, who are in positions of service to the international community and making important contributions to the better world we seek to build.

“We wish Prof Tladi well as he prepares to contribute to the Court and its jurisprudence from the Palace of Peace in The Hague, Netherlands,” Ramaphosa said.

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Cabinet endorsed Tladi’s nomination by the South African Government, together with South Africa’s membership on the Permanent Court of Arbitration in May 2023.

Biography

Tladi is a leading international law scholar and Professor of International Law at the University of Pretoria, whose accomplishments span different areas of the field, including academic, government service, diplomacy and practice.

He serves as President of the South African Branch of the International Law Association and executive member of the International Law Association.

Tladi also served as Chair of the International Law Commission, an organ of the UN generally regarded as a feeder body for the International Court of Justice.

He was previously Legal Adviser of the South African Mission in New York and Special Adviser to South African Ministers of international relations.

International Court of Justice

The International Court of Justice, one of the six principal bodies of the UN, is the principal judicial organ of the world body.

The Court’s role is to settle, in accordance with international law, legal disputes submitted to it by States and to give advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by authorised United Nations organs and specialised agencies.

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