Pretoria - International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane has congratulated Judge Albert J Hoffmann on his appointment as Vice-President of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea.
Members of the Tribunal appointed the South African to the position for the period 2011-2014.
"Judge Hoffmann brings to the Tribunal vast knowledge and experience of international law and, in particular, experience as a member of the Tribunal," Nkoana-Mashabane said.
Hoffmann has been a member of the Tribunal since 2005 and takes over the vice-president's role from Judge Helmut Tuerk.
The vice-president is elected for a period of three years and assumes the functions of the president in the event of a vacancy in the presidency or of the inability of the president to exercise the functions of the presidency.
The newly elected President of the Tribunal, Judge Yanai, conducted the election.
