Georges Michel Abi-Saab (Egypt) (2000–2008)

Born in Egypt in 1933, Georges Michel Abi-Saab is Honorary Professor of International Law at the Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva (having taught there from 1963 to 2000); Honorary Professor at Cairo University's Faculty of Law; and a Member of the Institute of International Law.

Professor Abi-Saab served as consultant to the Secretary-General of the United Nations for the preparation of three reports (1969, 1970, and 1984), and represented Egypt in the Diplomatic Conference on the Reaffirmation and Development of International Humanitarian Law (1974–1977). He has acted as Counsel and advocate for several governments in cases before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) as well as in international arbitrations. He has also served twice as judge ad hoc on the ICJ, as Judge on the Appeals Chamber of the International Criminal Tribunals for the Former Yugoslavia and for Rwanda, and as a Commissioner of the United Nations Compensation Commission. He is a Member of the Administrative Tribunal of the International Monetary Fund and of various international arbitral tribunals (ICSID, ICC, CRCICA, etc.).

Professor Abi-Saab graduated in law from Cairo University and pursued his studies at the Universities of Paris, Michigan (MA in Economics), Harvard Law School (LL.M. and S.J.D.), Cambridge and Geneva (Docteur ès Sciences Politiques). He has held numerous visiting professorships, as well as the Rennert Distinguished Professorship at NYU School of Law and the Henri Rolin Chair in Belgian Universities.

Professor Abi-Saab is the author of numerous books and articles, and of two courses at the Hague Academy of International Law: “Wars of National Liberation in the Geneva Conventions and Protocols” (Recueil des cours, vol. 165 (1979-IV)) and the “General Course of Public International Law” (in French) (Recueil des cours, vol. 207 (1987-VII)).

James Bacchus (United States) (1995–2003)

Born in 1949, James Bacchus is a citizen of the United States of America.