The International Court of Justice (ICJ), principal judicial organ of the UN, holds public hearings from 17 to 21 February 2020 in the case concerning Immunities and Criminal Proceedings (Equatorial Guinea v. France), at the Peace Palace in The Hague, the seat of the Court. The hearings focus on the merits of the case. Session held under the presidency of Judge Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf, President of the Court. The CourtÕs role is to settle, in accordance with international law, legal disputes submitted to it by States (its Judgments are final and binding) and to give advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by authorized UN organs and agencies.