Ghana's Dr Sylvia Adusu makes history as ITLOS judge

Dr Sylvia Ama Adusu, a Chief State Attorney of Ghana, has been elected as a judge of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS).

According to a statement shared on Facebook by Ghana’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations (UN), Dr Adusu’s election makes her the first African woman to be elected as a judge of the international tribunal.

The statement indicated that she won the election with 130 out of 169 votes cast, surpassing the required two-thirds majority of 113 votes, during the Thirty-Sixth Meeting of States Parties to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), held on June 18, 2026, at the UN Headquarters in New York.

Before her election, Dr Adusu, in addition to being a Chief State Attorney, was the Head of International Law in the Office of the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice of Ghana.

She was nominated by Ghana for the position with the backing of the African Union, making her the first Ghanaian woman to be nominated as a candidate for election to the ITLOS.

According to the mission, the newly elected ITLOS judge has over 30 years of legal practice, with experience in international law, civil litigation, criminal prosecution, and arbitration.

Her academic background includes a PhD in International Law from Lancaster University in the United Kingdom, an MPhil in International Relations from the University of Ghana, and further studies in international law and sustainable development in The Hague.

Meet Dr Adusu, Ghana’s candidate for election as ITLOS judge

Dr Adusu has represented Ghana in both local and international courts, including appearances before international tribunals and foreign jurisdictions such as the United States and Norway.

She has also served on a quasi-judicial panel of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission and held roles on several national committees and boards.

She has been actively involved in Law of the Sea matters since 2007. She played a key role in Ghana’s maritime boundary dispute case against Côte d’Ivoire at ITLOS and contributed to the ARA Libertad case involving Argentina and Ghana.

She also worked on Ghana’s submission on the extension of its continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles.

At the international level, she represented Ghana at the International Court of Justice in proceedings on climate change advisory opinion requests.

Dr Adusu also contributes to legal education as a part-time lecturer at the University of Ghana and the Ghana School of Law, where she teaches Law of the Sea and Civil Procedure.

Her work has earned national recognition, including the Companion of the Order of the Volta for her role in the Ghana–Côte d’Ivoire maritime dispute.

As the newly elected judge, Dr Adusu is expected to contribute to the work of ITLOS in promoting peaceful dispute resolution, maritime governance, and the protection of marine resources.

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