The first female African Judge of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), a Ghanaian, Dr Sylvia Ama Adusu, has been sworn into office in Germany on Thursday, October 1.
Dr Adusu was elected for the term 2026-2035.
Following her election, dignitaries including the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, sent congratulatory messages to her.
Mr Ablakwa described it as a big win for Ghana.
"Another big win for Ghana. Congratulations to Ghana's Dr Sylvia Ama Adusu on her election as the first female African Judge of ITLOS. She secured an impressive 130 votes from UN Member States.
"I commend the Foreign Ministry's Candidatures Bureau, staff of our New York mission and other partners for the excellent execution. With great pleasure, I convey my best wishes for her new role," he wrote on X.
Deputy Attorney-General Justice Srem Sai also said "Meet my cousin, Dr Sylvia Adusu, newly elected Judge at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS). First woman - Africa, Ghana and Aveme."
Earlier, Deputy Ambassador of Ghana to the United States of America, Ben Dotsei Malor, also said about Dr Sylvia Ama Adusu, that "The UN has just elected Dr Sylvia Ama Adusu to become the first African woman to serve as a Judge of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), for the term 2026-2035.
"Many congratulations to this distinguished Ghanaian. Well done, Dr Adusu. Well done to Ghana and Africa."
Dr. Sylvia Ama Adusu is a Chief State Attorney in Ghana with over thirty years at the Bar.
Prior to her doctoral research in the Law of the sea, she gained extensive experience and practice in international law as well as civil litigation, criminal prosecution and arbitrations.
An outline of her curriculum vitae is presented:
PhD in Law, University of Lancaster, United Kingdom.
Area of Research - International Law (Law of the Sea) - (Oct 2015 – May 2020)
MPhil International Relations, Legon Centre for International Affairs, University of Ghana. Area of Research – International law - (May 2003 – June 2005)
Postgraduate Diploma International Law and Sustainable Development, Institute of Social Studies, The Hague, Netherlands - (Jan - March 2002)
Qualifying Certificate in Law, Ghana School of Law, Accra, Ghana- (1991 – 1993)
B.A.(Hons) Law and Sociology, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana- (1988 – 1991)
Office of the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice - (1996-present)
Current Position – Director, International Division. Handling matters involving Ghana’s international relations in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration; Coordinating the National Mechanism for Reporting and Follow-Ups to prepare Ghana’s human rights reports to the UN Human Rights Council, the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights as well as other treaty bodies; attending sessions of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland and attending States Parties meetings for the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Conducting cases involving the Republic of Ghana in foreign Courts in collaboration with foreign Counsel, Handling some international arbitrations, cases before the ECOWAS Court of Justice, the African Court and the African Committee on the Welfare of the Child of the African Union as well as participating in joint - cooperation meetings between Ghana and other African states,
Beyond the roles at the office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice, she also serves actively on some national multisectorial committees including:
• Member, Ghana Boundary Commission - A commission that negotiates the delimination of Ghana’s Maritime Boundaries with her neighbours.
• Co-Chair, Steering Committee on Business and Human Rights to develop a National Action Plan for Business and Human Rights in Ghana.
• Coordinator, Ghana’s National Mechanism for Reporting and Follow-ups (NMRF).
• Member, National Assets Management Working Committee.
Relevant Professional Development and Training
• Yeosu Academy of the Law of the Sea, 2021.
• Meeting of the International Criminal Court on Witness Protection held in Accra-2014.
• Gulf of Guinea Maritime Security Workshop Accra 8-12 April 2013.
• ‘Mastering the Techniques and Modern Trends in Negotiating and drafting Commercial Agreements’ - Centre for Commercial Law and Financial Regulation University of Reading UK, 24 August 2012.
• ‘Maritime Boundary Delimitation’, Center for International Law, National University of Singapore. September 26-28, 2012.
• Ghana Security Sector Governance and management Course, organised by the Ghana Armed Forces at the Kofi Annan International Peace Keeping Training Centre, Accra. 5 August -26 August 2008.
• Project Design & Management Workshop. 13-14 September 2005 in Accra.
• ‘Mediation and Conflict Transformation’ United Nations Development Programme Project on Developing Capacity for Conflict Prevention Management and Resolution in Ghana. October 2005, Swedru – Ghana.
• Ghana Arbitration Centre Workshop on Techniques of Arbitration. 26 November 2004.
• Centre for African Peace and Conflict Resolution, California State University, Sacramento in collaboration with Ghana Association of Chartered Mediators and Arbitrators -Basic Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Training Workshop January 7-10, 2003 in Accra.
• Advanced Securities, Ghana Stock Exchange Securities Course. Nov 1998.
