Rena Lee, first Singaporean nominated for International Court of Justice, gets full government backing ahead of UN vote

SINGAPORE: The Singapore government "fully supports" Ambassador for International Law Rena Lee's candidature for election as a judge of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the foreign affairs and law ministries said in a joint statement sent to the media on Tuesday (Nov 3).

Ms Lee, 57, is the first Singaporean nominated for a seat on the world's highest judicial bench.

Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Mr Edwin Tong, Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs, are in New York in support of Ms Lee's candidature. They were also due to host a reception for her on Monday evening in New York.

Dr Balakrishnan said: "Her deep expertise, strong conviction in the rule of law, and ability to understand different perspectives in resolving differences would be an asset to the ICJ."

He also said that Singapore, as a small state, has always been a "stalwart advocate and defender of the rule of law", which underpins the international rules-based system. Singapore has benefited from it since its independence, he added.

He noted that at a time when multilateral institutions are "under growing strain", Ms Lee's candidature is one way that Singapore is seeking to support and uphold the rules-based multilateral system.

Mr Tong said: "She understands international law not only as doctrine, but as a framework within which states must make decisions, manage differences and cooperate. She brings intellectual independence, sound judgment and an appreciation of the practical consequences of legal reasoning."

He also said that the ICJ's strength is enhanced when its bench "draws on varied legal traditions, professional experiences and perspectives". Ms Lee would bring such breadth to the court, together with "an unwavering commitment to fairness, integrity and the rule of law".

Her candidature also reflected Singapore's efforts to contribute meaningfully to international law and multilateral institutions, Mr Tong said.

The ICJ comprises 15 judges from different United Nations (UN) member states, elected to nine-year terms, with elections held every three years for five seats.

The election for the 2027-2036 term begins on Tuesday, with voting to be conducted in both the UN General Assembly and the UN Security Council at the UN headquarters in New York.

Ms Lee is one of 10 candidates vying for the five seats.

In October 2024, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and Ministry of Law (MinLaw) announced that Singapore's National Group to the Permanent Court of Arbitration intended to nominate Ms Lee for election to the ICJ. In July this year, she was officially nominated as Singapore's candidate.

"Ambassador Lee is a distinguished international law practitioner with over three decades of deep expertise across a broad spectrum of international law, including the law of the sea, environmental law, international humanitarian law, and human rights law," the ministries said in the joint release.

They noted that as president of the UN Intergovernmental Conference on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ), Ms Lee had steered five years of complex, high-stakes multilateral negotiations. 

These negotiations led to the adoption, by consensus, of the landmark BBNJ Agreement in 2023 to protect marine biodiversity in international waters.

"This major achievement is a testament to her ability to combine deep legal expertise with sensitivity to diverse perspectives, which allows her to bridge differences among nations with different legal traditions and geopolitical interests."

Ms Lee also holds positions in institutions including the Permanent Court of Arbitration and the Panel of Conciliators of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes.

"Ambassador Lee possesses eminent professional standing. Her integrity, impartiality, and vision for a rules-based international order make her a good choice for the ICJ," said MFA and MinLaw. 

"If elected, she would be well-placed to contribute constructively to the functioning of the ICJ and the advancement of international 
law."