UK Nominates Nigerian-Born Lawyer As Representative At UN Commission

The United Kingdom has nominated Dapo Akande, a Briton-Nigerian
professor as its candidate for the International Law Commission of
the United Nations.

In a statement by Dominic Raab, UK’s secretary of state for
foreign, commonwealth and development Affairs, said Akande, a
professor of law, is perfectly positioned to strengthen his
contribution to the development of the commission.

Raab described the professor at Blavatnik School of Government
at the University of Oxford as one of the finest legal scholars in
the UK with over 25 years of experience.

“The United Kingdom is pleased to nominate Professor Dapo Akande
as our candidate for the International Law Commission for the
period 2023-2027. The UK has always been a strong supporter of the
International Law Commission and is proud of the contribution that
British international lawyers have made to its work. I believe that
Professor Akande is perfectly positioned to strengthen this
contribution yet further,” Raab said.

“With over twenty-five years of legal experience, Professor
Akande is exceptionally well-qualified to serve as a member of the
Commission. Not only is Professor Akande one of the finest legal
scholars in the UK, he is also a world-renowned expert in public
international law, as both an academic and independent
practitioner.

“He originally qualified as a lawyer in Nigeria and is currently
Professor of Public International Law at the Blavatnik School of
Government at the University of Oxford. He is on the advisory or
editorial boards of international law periodicals in Europe,
America, Africa and Asia. He has written and researched more than
sixty publications across a range of international legal
topics.

“Professor Akande has acted as a consultant to international
organisations, including the United Nations (UN), the African
Union, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, the International
Criminal Court, the Food and Agriculture Organisation, and the
Commonwealth Secretariat. As Counsel or Adviser, Professor Akande
has worked on international litigation before the International
Court of Justice, the International Tribunal for the Law of the
Sea, the World Trade Organisation, the International Criminal Court
and the European Court of Human Rights, as well as on cases
involving public international law in domestic courts.

“For all these reasons, I strongly endorse the candidature of
Professor Akande at the elections for the International Law
Commission that will be held during the 76th session of the UN
General Assembly in November 2021. I hope that UN members have the
opportunity to meet and engage with him, virtually or in-person,
over the coming months.”

The International Law Commission was established by the UN
general assembly in 1947 to undertake the mandate of the assembly
and initiate studies and make recommendations for the purpose of
encouraging the progressive development of international law and
its codification.

Professionals with Nigerian roots have getting recognition in
the UK and US in recent times.

In 2019, Boris Johnson, British prime minister, named Kemi
Badenoch a minister in his cabinet.

In November, Biden had appointed Adewale Adeyemo as deputy
secretary of the treasury department.

He also appointed Funmi Olorunnipa Badejo into his cabinet as
white house counsel, as well as Osaremen Okolo as a member of his
COVID-19 response team.

The US president also appointed Enoh Titilayo Ebong as the
acting director of the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA).

The United Kingdom has nominated Dapo Akande, a Briton-Nigerian
professor as its candidate for the International Law Commission of
the United Nations.

In a statement by Dominic Raab, UK’s secretary of state for
foreign, commonwealth and development Affairs, said Akande, a
professor of law, is perfectly positioned to strengthen his
contribution to the development of the commission.

Raab described the professor at Blavatnik School of Government
at the University of Oxford as one of the finest legal scholars in
the UK with over 25 years of experience.

“The United Kingdom is pleased to nominate Professor Dapo Akande
as our candidate for the International Law Commission for the
period 2023-2027. The UK has always been a strong supporter of the
International Law Commission and is proud of the contribution that
British international lawyers have made to its work. I believe that
Professor Akande is perfectly positioned to strengthen this
contribution yet further,” Raab said.

“With over twenty-five years of legal experience, Professor
Akande is exceptionally well-qualified to serve as a member of the
Commission. Not only is Professor Akande one of the finest legal
scholars in the UK, he is also a world-renowned expert in public
international law, as both an academic and independent
practitioner.

“He originally qualified as a lawyer in Nigeria and is currently
Professor of Public International Law at the Blavatnik School of
Government at the University of Oxford. He is on the advisory or
editorial boards of international law periodicals in Europe,
America, Africa and Asia. He has written and researched more than
sixty publications across a range of international legal
topics.

“Professor Akande has acted as a consultant to international
organisations, including the United Nations (UN), the African
Union, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, the International
Criminal Court, the Food and Agriculture Organisation, and the
Commonwealth Secretariat. As Counsel or Adviser, Professor Akande
has worked on international litigation before the International
Court of Justice, the International Tribunal for the Law of the
Sea, the World Trade Organisation, the International Criminal Court
and the European Court of Human Rights, as well as on cases
involving public international law in domestic courts.

“For all these reasons, I strongly endorse the candidature of
Professor Akande at the elections for the International Law
Commission that will be held during the 76th session of the UN
General Assembly in November 2021. I hope that UN members have the
opportunity to meet and engage with him, virtually or in-person,
over the coming months.”

The International Law Commission was established by the UN
general assembly in 1947 to undertake the mandate of the assembly
and initiate studies and make recommendations for the purpose of
encouraging the progressive development of international law and
its codification.

Professionals with Nigerian roots have getting recognition in
the UK and US in recent times.

In 2019, Boris Johnson, British prime minister, named Kemi
Badenoch a minister in his cabinet.

In November, Biden had appointed Adewale Adeyemo as deputy
secretary of the treasury department.

He also appointed Funmi Olorunnipa Badejo into his cabinet as
white house counsel, as well as Osaremen Okolo as a member of his
COVID-19 response team.

The US president also appointed Enoh Titilayo Ebong as the
acting director of the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA).