South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa has congratulated a law professor of the University of Pretoria, Dire Tladi, who has made history by becoming the first South African elected as a judge at the UN International Court of Justice, ICJ.

Ramaphosa congratulated Tladi this Friday, describing his election as an outstanding personal achievement in which the South African nation shares with great pride.

Tladi is one of five judges who were elected on Thursday by the UN’s General Assembly and the Security Council for nine-year terms, beginning February next year.

The ICJ is the UN’s main judicial body, providing legal advice to UN agencies and settling legal disputes between countries.