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SINGAPORE:\u00a0<\/span>When the United Nations convenes in New York on Tuesday (Nov 3) to elect judges to the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Singapore will be watching keenly with unprecedented interest.<\/p>\n For the first time since joining the UN as a newly independent nation in 1965, Singapore has fielded a candidate \u2013 Ms Rena Lee, 57 \u2013 for the world\u2019s highest judicial bench.<\/p>\n The bid is seen as far more than an individual milestone for Singapore. Securing a seat on the 15-judge ICJ, also known as the World Court, goes to the core of its foreign policy and security as a small island nation.<\/p>\n \u201cFor small states, governance by international law is not a matter of choice but one of survival,\u201d Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs Edwin Tong said at the UN headquarters in New York on Oct 29, a few days ahead of the ICJ vote.<\/p>\n Addressing the 193-member UN General Assembly (UNGA), Mr Tong said upholding international law and the UN Charter is paramount to ensure that \u201cmight does not make right\u201d in an increasingly contested world, especially for small states.<\/p>\n \u201cAll states, big or small, old or young, are treated as sovereign equals before the court,\u201d he said, referring to the ICJ.<\/p>\n In that light, the coming vote for a coveted spot on the ICJ is one to watch, analysts told CNA.<\/p>\n Singapore\u2019s candidate Lee, who is also the country\u2019s Ambassador for International Law, is one of 10 candidates vying for five contested seats on the Peace Palace bench in The Hague for the 2027 to 2036 term.<\/p>\n Her candidature was first announced in 2024, and she was formally nominated in 2026.<\/p>\n Should she win, she would make history as the first female ICJ judge from Southeast Asia and one of the first women from a small nation to serve on the court.<\/p>\n “This (outcome would be) a very significant – and, from my perspective, a welcome, if not historic, development,”\u00a0said Associate Professor Vincent-Jo\u00ebl Proulx from the National University of Singapore\u2019s<\/span> faculty of law.\u00a0<\/p>\n The decision to enter the race reflects Singapore\u2019s record of championing the rule of law through multilateralism, the peaceful settlement of international disputes, and the observance of international law, observers said.<\/p>\n “By providing its expertise in international law and dispute resolution through its candidate, Singapore would not only further champion peaceful dispute resolution and a rules-based multilateral community of states, but also contribute to enhancing the consistency, stability, and predictability of international law,” said Assoc Prof Proulx.<\/p>\n Singapore\u2019s willingness to participate in ICJ\u2019s electoral process, despite the considerable campaigning and lobbying resources involved, shows the country\u2019s confidence in international law institutions, he added.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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