A/66/PV.55 General Assembly

The result of the voting is as follows: Number of ballot papers: 189 Number of invalid ballots: 0 Number of valid ballots: 180 Abstentions: 0 Number of members voting: 189 Required two-thirds majority: 97 Number of votes obtained: Ms. Julia Sebutinde (Uganda) 96 Mr. Abdul G. Koroma (Sierra Leone) 93 Since no candidate has obtained an absolute majority in the previous round of balloting, the Assembly will proceed to another unrestricted ballot to fill the remaining vacancy. I should like to remind representatives that, pursuant to rule 88 of the rules of procedure, “After the President has announced the beginning of voting, no representative shall interrupt the voting except on a point of order in connection with the actual conduct of the voting.” Any announcements, including those concerning withdrawals of candidatures, should therefore be made prior to the commencement of the voting process, that is to say, before the announcement of the beginning of the voting process. We shall now begin the voting process. Ballot papers will now be distributed. All the candidates whose names appear on the ballot paper are eligible. The names of the two candidates who have withdrawn their candidatures have been deleted from the ballots. May I remind delegations that the name of only one candidate should be marked with a cross. Any ballot paper on which more than one name is marked will be considered invalid. Votes may be cast only for those whose names appear on the ballot papers. At the invitation of the Acting President, Ms. Bonkoungou (Burkina Faso), Ms. Shiolashvili (Georgia), Ms. Mannion (Ireland), Mrs. Azmee (Malaysia), Ms. Martínez (Mexico) and Ms. Kloeg (Netherlands) acted as tellers. A vote was taken by secret ballot.

The result of the voting is as follows: Number of ballot papers: 192 Number of invalid ballots: 0 Number of valid ballots: 192 Abstentions: 0 Number of members voting: 192 Required two-thirds majority: 97 Number of votes obtained: Ms. Julia Sebutinde (Uganda) 98 Mr. Abdul G. Koroma (Sierra Leone) 94 Ms. Julia Sebutinde has obtained an absolute majority in the General Assembly. I have communicated the result of the voting to the President of the Security Council. I have received a letter from the President of the Security Council, which reads: “I have the honour to inform you that at the 6653rd meeting of the Security Council, held on 10 November 2011, for the purpose of electing five members of the International Court of Justice for a term of office beginning on 6 February 2012, Mr. Abdul G. Koroma obtained an absolute majority of votes.” As a result of the voting that has taken place independently in the General Assembly and the Security Council, no candidate has obtained an absolute majority in both bodies. In accordance with Article 12 of the Statute of the International Court of Justice, if, after the third meeting, one or more seats still remain unfilled, a joint conference consisting of six members, three appointed by the General Assembly and three by the Security Council, may be formed at any time at the request of either the General Assembly or the Security Council for the purpose of choosing by vote an absolute majority one name for each seat still vacant, to submit to the General Assembly and the Security Council for their respective acceptance. The General Assembly has never chosen to avail itself of a joint conference and has, in similar circumstances, proceeding to conduct further balloting. I therefore intend, unless and until the General Assembly decides otherwise, to follow past practice and to continue with balloting in accordance with applicable procedures. Unless I hear any objection, I shall take it that the Assembly agrees to proceed accordingly. It was so decided.