Professor of International Law Ezéchiel Amani Cirimwami, visiting lecturer at VUB and alumnus of the university, has been nominated as a candidate judge at the International Criminal Court (ICC). The elections for this position are scheduled for December 2026. Within the unique Brussels context, VUB offers an academic environment in which research, teaching and international institutions reinforce one another, and in which academics can also deploy their expertise beyond the university.
Ezéchiel Amani Cirimwami obtained his PhD in International Law from Vrije Universiteit Brussel in 2023. He is currently active at VUB as a visiting lecturer and is also a visiting professor at UCLouvain and at the Royal Military Academy.
His career includes roles as a judge and public prosecutor, as well as academic and advisory assignments within an international context. In that capacity, he has also appeared before various international courts and tribunals. His teaching and research activities focus primarily on international criminal law, international humanitarian law and international dispute settlement.
Professor Cirimwami was nominated by the Democratic Republic of the Congo. His nomination is under the so‑called List B of the International Criminal Court, which is reserved for candidates with recognised expertise in public international law, combined with experience in criminal law and criminal procedure. The bench of judges of the International Criminal Court is competent to adjudicate serious international crimes such as genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
International academic context
Vrije Universiteit Brussel is a European hub that attracts and supports excellent scientific talent with international ambitions. In his 2026 policy plan, Rector Jan Danckaert explicitly emphasises the importance of this international embedding: “VUB is deeply rooted in Brussels and in Europe. (…) As a research university in the heart of Europe, we have direct access to European institutions and international organisations.” From this Brussels‑based context, VUB fosters an academic environment in which research, teaching and international institutions reinforce one another, and in which academics can deploy their expertise beyond the university.