As Singapore’s oceans ambassador from 2018 to 2023, she successfully concluded negotiations on a new global agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction.
She was then appointed Singapore’s Ambassador for International Law, a role she still serves, after spending more than three decades working in international law, diplomacy and government.
For her efforts at the global high seas treaty talks, Time Magazine named her in its 100 most influential people of 2024.
Law Minister Edwin Tong said in his Oct 29 address to the UNGA that Ms Lee is an "eminently qualified" international law practitioner, government legal advisor and diplomat, with expertise in the law of the sea, climate and environmental law, humanitarian law and human rights.
Will this list of credentials and accolades appeal to the UN electors, given her career as a diplomat and negotiator but not as a judge?
To this, Assoc Prof Proulx said experience as a government legal adviser, representing a state before international tribunals or the UN, or participating in international law-making conferences, are all relevant.
Under Article 2 of the ICJ Statute, voters should look for judges who are independent and of "high moral character" and who either have the qualifications required for appointment to the highest judicial offices in their respective countries or are recognised experts in international law.
In practice, countries consider a candidate’s legal credentials, professional reputation and experience when deciding how to vote, Assoc Prof Proulx said.
“The candidates’ curriculum vitae are studied meticulously to ascertain a candidate’s expertise in, and experience with the practice of, international law,” he said.
As for who else is in the running, there are nine other candidates from other countries standing for elections
They are:
Assoc Prof Proulx noted that while regional representation is an established practice in electing the court's judges, a single seat is expected to be filled by a candidate from the Asia Pacific region.
"This race for the ‘Asian seat’ involves three excellent candidates, including Ambassador Lee," he said, adding that this three-way race involving Jordan, South Korea and Singapore is expected to be highly competitive.
Ms Lee's two principal competitors for the informal “Asian seat” have more direct judicial experience: Jordan’s Mahmoud Hmoud is a sitting ICJ judge, while South Korea’s Jin-Hyun Paik is a former judge and president of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea.
Despite the competition, Ms Lee’s extensive experience with international law and negotiating experience provides transferable skills to the bench.
"This considerable achievement convincingly establishes her favourable track record as an apt negotiator and chair – with demonstrable neutrality and consensus-building abilities – as those negotiations required tactful and competent leadership to bridge sometimes sharp disagreements," he said.
CNA has reached out to Ms Lee for comment.
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She was then appointed Singapore’s Ambassador for International Law, a role she still serves, after spending more than three decades working in international law, diplomacy and government.
For her efforts at the global high seas treaty talks, Time Magazine named her in its 100 most influential people of 2024.
Law Minister Edwin Tong said in his Oct 29 address to the UNGA that Ms Lee is an "eminently qualified" international law practitioner, government legal advisor and diplomat, with expertise in the law of the sea, climate and environmental law, humanitarian law and human rights.
Will this list of credentials and accolades appeal to the UN electors, given her career as a diplomat and negotiator but not as a judge?
To this, Assoc Prof Proulx said experience as a government legal adviser, representing a state before international tribunals or the UN, or participating in international law-making conferences, are all relevant.
Under Article 2 of the ICJ Statute, voters should look for judges who are independent and of "high moral character" and who either have the qualifications required for appointment to the highest judicial offices in their respective countries or are recognised experts in international law.
In practice, countries consider a candidate’s legal credentials, professional reputation and experience when deciding how to vote, Assoc Prof Proulx said.
“The candidates’ curriculum vitae are studied meticulously to ascertain a candidate’s expertise in, and experience with the practice of, international law,” he said.
As for who else is in the running, there are nine other candidates from other countries standing for elections
They are:
- Dapo Akande from the UK
- Francois Alabrune from France
- Taoheed Olufemi Elias from Nigeria
- Mahmoud Daifallah Hmoud from Jordan
- Luz del Carmen Ibanez Carranza from Peru
- Charles Chernor Jalloh from Sierra Leone
- Phoebe N Okawa, from Kenya
- Jin-Hyun Paik, Republic of Korea
- Marcelo Vazquez-Bermudez, Ecuador
Assoc Prof Proulx noted that while regional representation is an established practice in electing the court's judges, a single seat is expected to be filled by a candidate from the Asia Pacific region.
"This race for the ‘Asian seat’ involves three excellent candidates, including Ambassador Lee," he said, adding that this three-way race involving Jordan, South Korea and Singapore is expected to be highly competitive.
Ms Lee's two principal competitors for the informal “Asian seat” have more direct judicial experience: Jordan’s Mahmoud Hmoud is a sitting ICJ judge, while South Korea’s Jin-Hyun Paik is a former judge and president of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea.
Despite the competition, Ms Lee’s extensive experience with international law and negotiating experience provides transferable skills to the bench.
"This considerable achievement convincingly establishes her favourable track record as an apt negotiator and chair – with demonstrable neutrality and consensus-building abilities – as those negotiations required tactful and competent leadership to bridge sometimes sharp disagreements," he said.
CNA has reached out to Ms Lee for comment.
Continue reading...