Alumnus Elected to UN International Law Commission

Alumnus Charles Jalloh, Professor of Law at FIU College of Law, has been elected by United Nations member states to the International Law Commission (ILC).

The ILC, whose members are elected by majority vote of the 193 states comprising the General Assembly, is the principal subsidiary organ established in 1947 to carryout the mandate of the Assembly under Article 13(1)(a) of the Charter of the United Nations to 'initiate studies and make recommendations for the purpose of … encouraging the progressive development of international law and its codification'. It is comprised of 34 legal scholars and practitioners from different parts of the world. Members are elected on the basis of the following geographic distribution of seats: eight nationals from African States; seven from Asia-Pacific States; four from Eastern European States; seven from Latin American and Caribbean states; and eight from Western European and Other States. Professor Jalloh explained, 

I was humbled to have been nominated by Sierra Leone, and even more humbled, that I was elected by the UN member states to this important position. Membership of the ILC is a terrific opportunity to serve the international community. In that role, I will have the privilege to work with some of the best legal minds to help advance the goals of a rule-based international legal order by participating in the codification and development of laws that aim to advance peaceful inter-state relations... For an international law scholar, only a handful of whom get the privilege to serve on the ILC in the course of their careers, it does not get any better than this. It is like winning an Academy Award. 

Professor Jalloh earned a Master’s in International Human Rights Law at Oxford University, United Kingdom, where he studied as a Chevening Scholar. He is Founding Editor-in-Chief of the refereed African Journal of Legal Studies and the African Journal of International Criminal Justice. He has published widely, including several books with leading publishers. His chapter contributions have been solicited for collections edited by authorities in international law and articles selected by top periodicals, including the American Journal of International Law, American University International Law Review, Criminal Law Forum, International Criminal Law Review, Michigan Journal of International Law and Vanderbilt Journal of Transnational Law. He also holds a BA from the University of Guelph, and LLB and BCL from McGill University. He completed his PhD in International Law at the University of Amsterdam.