A Brazilian jurist was elected this Friday (4) to one of the vacancies at the International Court of Justice, based in The Hague, Netherlands. Leonardo Caldeira Brant, 56, was appointed by Itamaraty to fill the post of fellow countryman Antônio Cançado Trindade, who died in May.
The International Court of Justice, founded in 1945, is the main court of the United Nations and its functions include judging disputes or aggressions between States, in addition to answering queries from UN bodies or agencies.
A professor of law at UFMG (Federal University of Minas Gerais), Brant was chosen for his conciliatory profile, taking into account the current scenario of political turmoil at the international level, according to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brazil, Carlos França.
“The election represents a great achievement for Brazil and demonstrates the respect that the country’s diplomacy has in the international sphere”, says Brant to Sheet. He lists as a challenge issues related to the War in Ukraine, started by Russia in February, and the climate crisis.
The jurist is the founder of the Center for International Law (Cedin), a non-profit association whose objective is the development of international law in Brazil, and of the specialized publication Anuário Brasileiro de Direito Internacional.
“The result demonstrates, in addition to the candidate’s qualities, the recognition of Brazil’s performance in favor of the peaceful settlement of disputes and in defense of international law,” Itamaraty said in a statement.
“With a career marked by dedication to the development and dissemination of public international law doctrine and jurisprudence, Professor Caldeira Brant presents the credentials to continue the legacy of the Brazilian judges who served the court”.
The election was held at the General Assembly and the United Nations Security Council in New York. Brant’s vacancy is intended for countries in South America and the Caribbean. The term is capped until 2027. Currently, the court is made up of 15 judges from all continents.
A representative from Argentina also applied for the position. However, at the International Court of Justice it is customary to replace a judge, who leaves office before the end of his term, by another jurist of the same nationality.
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