It is with great sadness that the Court announces the passing of Kenneth Keith on 13 May 2026 in New Zealand. Sir Kenneth was a Member of the Court from 2006 to 2015 and, more recently, sat as Judge ad hoc in two cases.  

On Thursday 21 May 2026, the Court will deliver its Advisory Opinion on the Right to Strike under ILO Convention No. 87. A public sitting will take place at 3 p.m. during which Judge Iwasawa Yuji, President of the Court, will read out the Advisory Opinion.

The public hearings on the merits of the case concerning Arbitral Award of 3 October 1899 (Guyana v. Venezuela), which opened on 4 May 2026, concluded on 11 May 2026. The Court will now begin its deliberation. Its decision will be delivered at a public sitting, the date of which will be announced in due course. 

At a private meeting held on 7 May 2026, the Court elected Mr Santiago Villalpando, of Argentine nationality, to the post of Registrar for a term of seven years. He will succeed Mr Philippe Gautier, whose term will come to an end on 31 July 2026.

The Court will hold public hearings in the case concerning Arbitral Award of 3 October 1899 (Guyana v. Venezuela) from Monday 4 to Monday 11 May 2026.

By an Order dated 16 April 2026 in the case concerning Sovereignty over the Sapodilla Cayes/Cayos Zapotillos (Belize v. Honduras; Guatemala intervening), the Court extended to 19 June 2026 and 21 September 2026 the respective time-limits for the submission by Guatemala of a written statement, and for the submission of any written observations on that statement by the Parties. 

On 17 April 2026, in the presence of His Majesty King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, HE Mr António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, HE Ms Annalena Baerbock, President of the United Nations General Assembly, HE Mr Tom Berendsen, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, and HE Mr Jamal Alrowaiei, President of the United Nations Security Council, the Court held a solemn sitting to mark the eightieth anniversary of its inaugural session.

The Registry produced a video on the occasion of the Court's 80th anniversary, which provides an overview of its history, role and types of cases that may be brought before it.

The International Court of Justice will hold a solemn sitting on Friday 17 April 2026 at 3 p.m. in the Great Hall of Justice of the Peace Palace to celebrate the eightieth anniversary of its inaugural session. 

It is with great sadness that the Court announces the passing of Stephen M. Schwebel on 9 April 2026 in New York. Mr Schwebel was a Member of the Court from 1981 to 2000. He served as President from 1997 to 2000 and as Vice-President from 1994 to 1997.

On 9 April 2026, HE Mr Alar Karis, President of Estonia, and First Lady Ms Sirje Karis, accompanied by a delegation led by HE Mr Paul Teesalu, Ambassador of Estonia to the Netherlands, paid a visit to the Court. The discussions with HE Judge Iwasawa Yuji, President of the Court, and HE M. Philippe Gautier, Registrar, touched on aspects of the history, functioning and activities of the Court. 

By an Order dated 19 March 2026 in the case concerning Sovereignty over the Sapodilla Cayes/Cayos Zapotillos (Belize v. Honduras), and in accordance with Article 85, paragraph 1, of its Rules, the Court fixed 19 May 2026 and 20 July 2026 as the respective time-limits for the submission by Guatemala of a written statement, and for the submission of any written observations on that statement by the Parties. 

By a Judgment dated 19 March 2026, the Court granted Guatemala permission to intervene as a non-party in the case concerning Sovereignty over the Sapodilla Cayes/Cayos Zapotillos (Belize v. Honduras).

On 12 March 2026, Namibia, the United States of America, Hungary and Fiji each filed a declaration of intervention under Article 63 of the Statute of the Court in the case concerning Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel).

On 11 March 2026, the Netherlands and Iceland filed declarations of intervention under Article 63 of the Statute of the Court in the case concerning Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel). 

On 4 March 2026, diplomatic representatives accredited to the Netherlands attended information sessions on the work and activities of the International Court of Justice by HE Mr Philippe Gautier, Registrar of the Court, and of the Permanent Court of Arbitration, by HE Mr Marcin Czepelak, Secretary-General of the PCA, at the Peace Palace in The Hague, seat of both institutions.

By an Order dated 25 February 2026, the Court authorized the submission of a Reply by Mexico and a Rejoinder by Ecuador. It fixed 25 August 2026 and 25 February 2027 as the respective time-limits for the filing of those written pleadings in the case concerning the Embassy of Mexico in Quito (Mexico v. Ecuador). 

By an Order dated 25 February 2026, the Court authorized the submission of a Reply by Ecuador and a Rejoinder by Mexico concerning the claims presented by the Parties in the Glas Espinel (Ecuador v. Mexico) case. It fixed 25 August 2026 and 25 February 2027 as the respective time-limits for the filing of those written pleadings.  

On 3 March 2026, Paraguay filed a declaration of intervention under Article 63 of the Statute of the Court in the case concerning Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in the Gaza Strip (South Africa v. Israel).

By an Order dated 25 February 2026, the Court fixed 25 November 2026 and 25 August 2027 as the respective time-limits for the filing of the Memorial of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Counter-Memorial of the United States of America on the sole question of compensation due in the case concerning Certain Iranian Assets (Islamic Republic of Iran v. United States of America).  

On 26 February 2026, Iceland filed a declaration under Article 36, paragraph 2, of the Statute of the International Court of Justice, recognizing as compulsory the jurisdiction of the Court.