Nawaf Salam
Awards & Honours
0
Awards Won
5
Honours
2
Records
Nawaf Salam's career is marked by a series of historic firsts. He was the first Lebanese judge elected to the International Court of Justice, and the first Lebanese and second Arab to serve as its president. He presided over the ICJ during a period of high-profile cases, including South Africa's genocide case against Israel. His two presidencies of the UN Security Council and his vice presidency of the General Assembly reflect the trust placed in him by the international community. For a small country like Lebanon, these achievements carry outsized significance. They made him a natural consensus candidate for prime minister when the country needed a unifying figure.
Honours & Distinctions
President of the International Court of Justice
Elected by ICJ judges to lead the world's highest court for a three-year term.
Judge of the International Court of Justice
Elected to a nine-year term on the ICJ.
President of the United Nations Security Council
Presided over the Security Council in May 2010.
President of the United Nations Security Council
Presided over the Security Council in September 2011.
Vice President of the United Nations General Assembly
Served as Vice President of the 67th session.
Records & Feats
First Lebanese judge on the International Court of Justice
Elected in 2018, Salam became the first Lebanese national to serve as a judge on the ICJ.
First Lebanese and second Arab President of the ICJ
Elected president of the International Court of Justice in February 2024, following Joan Donoghue.