Mahmoud Daifallah Hmoud of Jordan elected to International Court of Justice

Court is composed of 15 judges elected to nine-year terms by the UN General Assembly and Security Council

Mahmoud Daifallah Hmoud speaks at the UN Headquarters. Mr Hmoud, Jordan’s ambassador to the UN, was unanimously elected by the Security Council on May 27 to the International Court of Justice based in the Netherlands. Getty ImagesShow less

Jordan’s ambassador to the UN, Mahmoud Daifallah Hmoud, was unanimously elected by the Security Council on Tuesday to the International Court of Justice, replacing Lebanon's Nawaf Salam.

The 15-member council voted to approve Mr Hmoud's appointment to the Hague-based court, the principal judicial organ of the UN, which settles disputes between states and advises on international legal matters.

Mr Salam, a Lebanese diplomat and jurist, stepped down from the ICJ in February after being elected as his country’s Prime Minister. Mr Hmoud will serve the remainder of his predecessor’s term, which expires in February 2027.

The ICJ is composed of 15 judges elected to nine-year terms by the UN General Assembly and Security Council.

During his career, Mr Hmoud served as legal counsel for Jordan in proceedings before the International Court of Justice, including the Advisory Opinions on the “Legal Consequences of the Construction of a Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, (2004) and the “Legal Consequences arising from the Policies and Practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem” (2024).

He negotiated several bilateral and multilateral agreements on behalf of Jordan and represented Jordan in regional and international meetings.

Furthermore, he advised the Jordanian government on legal matters relating to the country’s foreign policy and international relations, including the Middle East peace process, United Nations affairs, accession to the World Trade Organization, foreign investment and energy-related matters.