New york: Professor Slim Laghmani has been elected as a judge at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea for the 2026-2035 term during elections held at the UN headquarters in New York. This election took place as part of the 36th Meeting of States Parties to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Thursday. According to Agence Tunis Afrique Presse, the election coincides with the 70th anniversary of the ministry's establishment and reflects the confidence Tunisia and its academic, legal, and scientific expertise enjoy within the international community. The ministry stated that Laghmani's election highlights his prominent standing as a leading specialist in public international law and the law of the sea at regional and international levels. The ministry noted the significance of this election in strengthening the representation of Africa and the Arab world within the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, composed of 21 judges. This election ensures African and Arab legal expertise is represented in one of the world's key judicial bodies tasked with interpreting and applying the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Tunisia's nomination of Laghmani reflects the country's longstanding commitment to international legitimacy, the rule of law, and the peaceful settlement of disputes. The ministry emphasized that this achievement confirms Tunisia's role as a credible and active partner in international efforts to strengthen maritime governance and promote respect for international law. The success was attributed to sustained diplomatic efforts led by the ministry under the guidance of the President of the Republic. These efforts began with securing the African Union's endorsement of Tunisia's candidacy and continued through bilateral consultations and contacts conducted by the foreign minister with counterparts from member states. Tunisia's permanent missions to the United Nations in New York and to the African Union in Addis Ababa played an active role by organizing meetings between the Tunisian candidate and representatives of member states during visits to New York and Addis Ababa. Additionally, Tunisian embassies and diplomatic missions worldwide worked to mobilize broad support for the candidacy. Born in Tunis on November 12, 1957, Slim Laghmani is a prominent Tunisian legal scholar and emeritus professor of public law, specializing in constitutional law and legal philosophy. He previously served as head of the public law department and director of the research laboratory on 'Community Law and Relations between the Maghreb and Europe.' He also chaired the Tunisian Association of Constitutional Law between 2017 and 2020 and has authored numerous publications in his fields of expertise, including maritime boundary delimitation. The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, established in Hamburg, Germany in 1996, is a judicial body specializing in interpreting and applying the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. The tribunal consists of 21 in dependent judges and handles disputes related to maritime navigation, exploitation of marine resources, protection of the marine environment, and maritime boundary delimitation. Judges are elected for renewable nine-year terms.