Media Statement
15 June 2023
South African candidate elected to serve as a judge on ITLOS
The Department of International Relations and Cooperation is pleased to announce the election of Advocate Thembile, Elphus Joyini to serve as a judge on the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) to commence his 9-year term in October 2023.
Advocate Joyini is a seasoned diplomat who served in New York as Counselor for Legal Affairs and is currently Acting Chief State Law Adviser at DIRCO. He also has considerable experience in both domestic and international law. His candidature was endorsed by the African Union. His election is, therefore, also a victory for the continent that has a huge interest in the implementation of United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) under which ITLOS is established. The Department congratulates Advocate Joyini and wishes him success.
ISSUED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COOPERATION
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