The International Court of Justice, which has its seat in The Hague,
is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations
On Thursday 20 March 2025, HE Mr David van Weel, Minister of Justice and Security of the Netherlands, paid a courtesy visit to the Court. Mr van Weel was welcomed by the President, the Registrar, and the Deputy-Registrar. During the visit, President Iwasawa expressed his appreciation for the invaluable assistance provided by the Netherlands as the Court’s host country.
It is with great sadness that the International Court of Justice learned of the passing of Mr Pemmaraju Sreenivasa Rao, a former Judge ad hoc of the Court, on 17 March 2025 in Hyderabad, India.
45 written statements have been filed in the Registry of the Court by States and international organizations in the advisory proceedings on the Obligations of Israel in relation to the Presence and Activities of the United Nations, Other International Organizations and Third States in and in relation to the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The public hearings in the case will open on Monday 28 April 2025.
On 6 March 2025, Guyana filed in the Registry of the Court a Request for the indication of provisional measures in the case concerning the Arbitral Award of 3 October 1899 (Guyana v. Venezuela).
By an Order of 27 February 2025, the Court extended to 28 July 2025 and to 28 May 2026, respectively, the time-limits for the filing of the Reply of Equatorial Guinea and the Rejoinder of France in the case concerning the Request relating to the Return of Property Confiscated in Criminal Proceedings (Equatorial Guinea v. France).
On 5 March 2025, Sudan filed an Application instituting proceedings against the United Arab Emirates before the Court with regard to a dispute concerning alleged violations by the UAE of its obligations under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in relation to the Masalit group in Sudan, most notably in West Darfur, and has requested the Court to indicate provisional measures.
On 3 March 2025, HE Judge Iwasawa Yuji was elected President of the International Court of Justice by his peers, until 5 February 2027.
The International Court of Justice has authorized the African Union, at its request, to participate in the advisory proceedings on the Obligations of Israel in relation to the Presence and Activities of the United Nations, Other International Organizations and Third States in and in relation to the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
The International Court of Justice has authorized the League of Arab States, at its request, to participate in the advisory proceedings on the Obligations of Israel in relation to the Presence and Activities of the United Nations, Other International Organizations and Third States in and in relation to the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
The International Court of Justice has authorized the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, at its request, to participate in the advisory proceedings on the Obligations of Israel in relation to the Presence and Activities of the United Nations, Other International Organizations and Third States in and in relation to the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
On 30 January 2025, Belize filed in the Registry of the Court a document containing an application for permission to intervene and a declaration of intervention in the case concerning Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel).
The Court has invited Ukraine and the Russian Federation to submit their views on the admissibility of the counter-claims made by the Russian Federation in the case concerning Allegations of Genocide under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Ukraine v. Russian Federation) by 20 May 2025 and 22 September 2025, respectively.
By an Order dated 17 January 2025, HE Judge Julia Sebutinde, Vice-President of the Court and Acting President, fixed 16 May 2025 as the time-limit for the presentation by Canada, Sweden, Ukraine and the United Kingdom of a written statement of their observations and submissions on the preliminary objections raised by Iran in the case concerning the Aerial Incident of 8 January 2020 (Canada, Sweden, Ukraine and United Kingdom v. Islamic Republic of Iran).
HE Judge Nawaf Salam, President of the International Court of Justice, has resigned as Member of the Court with effect from 14 January 2025.
On 10 January 2025, Cuba filed a declaration of intervention under Article 63 of the Statute of the Court in the case concerning Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel).
On 6 January 2025, Ireland filed a declaration of intervention under Article 63 of the Statute of the Court in the case concerning Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel).
By an Order dated 23 December 2024, the President of the International Court of Justice organized the proceedings concerning the Request for an Advisory Opinion on the Obligations of Israel in relation to the presence and activities of the United Nations, other international organizations and third States in and in relation to the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The President fixed 28 February 2025 as the time-limit within which written statements on the questions may be presented to the Court, in accordance with Article 66, paragraph 2, of the Statute.
On 20 December 2024, Ireland filed a declaration of intervention under Article 63 of the Statute of the Court in the case concerning Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (The Gambia v. Myanmar: 7 States intervening).
On 23 December 2024, further to the adoption by the United Nations General Assembly of resolution A/RES/79/232 on 19 December 2024, the Court received a request from the Secretary-General of the United Nations for an advisory opinion on “the obligations of Israel in relation to the presence and activities of the United Nations, other international organizations and third States” in and in relation to the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
By an Order dated 17 December 2024, the Court suspended the proceedings in the case concerning Questions of Jurisdictional Immunities of the State and Measures of Constraint against State-Owned Property (Germany v. Italy).
By an Order dated 17 December 2024, the Court extended to 3 June 2025 and to 5 October 2026, respectively, the time-limit for the filing of the Memorial of Canada and the Netherlands, and of the Counter-Memorial of the Syrian Arab Republic in the case concerning Application of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (Canada and the Netherlands v. Syrian Arab Republic).
On 12 December 2024, Belgium filed a declaration of intervention under Article 63 of the Statute of the Court in the case concerning Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (The Gambia v. Myanmar: 7 States intervening).
The public hearings on the request for an advisory opinion on the Obligations of States in respect of Climate Change concluded on 13 December 2024. The Court will now begin its deliberation. Its advisory opinion will be delivered at a public sitting, the date of which will be announced in due course.
