A chief reason for the high level of “peace, stability and prosperity” enjoyed by many countries across the world over the past 70 years, is the ongoing work of the International Court of Justice (ICJ). 

That’s the view of Judge Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf, of Somalia, President of the ICJ, the principle judicial organ of the UN, tasked with putting into effect the rule of law established by the United Nations Charter.

After Judge Yusuf briefed the Security Council on Wednesday on the work of the Court over the past year, he spoke with Mustafa Al Gamal of our UN News Arabic service, and started by explaining the difference between the ICJ and the ICC, or International Criminal Court.