Ghana Makes History with Election of Dr. Sylvia Adusu as First Female African Judge of ITLOS
Ghana’s Dr. Sylvia Ama Adusu has made history at the United Nations by becoming the first African woman to be elected as Judge of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) for the term 2026–2035.
She won with 130 out of 169 votes cast– which surpassed the required two-thirds majority of 113 votes present.
Dr Adusu’s election came during the Thirty-Sixth Meeting of States Parties to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), held on 18 June 2026 at the UN Headquarters in New York.
The newly-elected Jurist is a former Chief State Attorney and head of International law in the Office of the Attorney-General and Ministry Justice of Ghana. She holds a PhD in International Law from the University of Lancaster, in the UK, where her research focused on the delimitation and conservation of marine resources under UNCLOS within the context of “Cooperation over Gulf of Guinea Resources.”
She lectures part-time on the Law of the Sea at the University of Ghana and teaches Civil Procedure at the Ghana School of Law. She has also presented conference papers on subjects relating to the Law of the Sea.
She has represented the Republic before the superior courts of judicature in Ghana, international tribunals, and in foreign jurisdictions such as the United States of America and Norway.
Her administrative expertise includes serving as the Solicitor Secretary of the Lands Commission and on various governing boards and national committees.
Since 2007, Dr. Adusu has worked actively on matters pertaining to the Law of the. She played a pivotal role in Ghana’s successful maritime boundary delimitation case against Cote d’Ivoire before ITLOS and advised on the ARA Libertad (Argentina v Ghana) prompt release case. She was also part of the team that made submissions for Ghana’s extended continental shelf beyond 200NM. She also represented Ghana in the climate change advisory opinion proceedings before the ICJ.
Her election reflects the confidence of States Parties in her distinguished expertise, integrity, and commitment to the development and application of international law. It also underscores the importance of equitable geographical and gender representations within international judicial institutions.
Dr. Adusu’s election further adds a new chapter to Ghana’s admirable legacy in international adjudication. Ghanaian jurist Judge Thomas Akwasi Mensah was among the first 21 judges elected to ITLOS in 1996 following the Tribunal’s establishment under UNCLOS.
Judge Mensah subsequently served as the first President of the Tribunal from 1996 to 1999, playing a pivotal role in laying the foundation for the institution during its formative years.
Today’s election of Dr. Adusu’s election therefore represents both a historic breakthrough for African women in international judicial service and a continuation of Ghana’s longstanding contribution to the progressive development of the law of the sea.
#ITLOS #UnitedNations #Ghana #LawOfTheSea
