BEIRUT: Lebanon’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York Nawwaf Salam was Friday elected as a judge on the International Court of Justice, Lebanon’s U.N. Mission said.

Salam’s term will officially begin on Feb. 6, 2018.

Salam was elected along with French, Somali and Brazilian candidates, while a fifth judge – either from India or Brazil – is set to be elected Monday.

Judges on the ICJ are elected by the U.N. General Assembly and the Security Council, who vote simultaneously but separately on the matter.

Judges serve a nine-year term on the 15-member court. Elections for one-third of the court’s judicial positions are held every three years.