International Law Crucial in Times of Geopolitical Divisions: Vivian

Support for international law and a strong rules-based system are essential and have an impact on the sovereignty and security of all countries, especially small, vulnerable states like Singapore, said Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan on Jan 8.

- Tan Tam Mei

But as geopolitical divisions and conflicts rage on, there is also great concern as this multilateral system comes under stress, said Dr Balakrishnan.

"We believe that at a time like this, international law is all the more crucial in preventing a collapse of the international order because if that collapses, we end up in a situation where might makes right, and such a world would be dangerous for all of us," he said, underscoring the importance of Singapore's nomination of veteran international law expert Rena Lee to become a judge of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague.

Speaking to more than 100 ambassadors and diplomatic representatives at a reception held on Jan 8 in Singapore to introduce Mrs Lee's candidature for the ICJ bench for the 2027-2036 term, Dr Balakrishnan highlighted her many accolades.

These include her appointment as Singapore's Ambassador for International Law in 2023, and, before that, her role as Ambassador for Oceans and Law of the Sea Issues, as well as special envoy of the Minister for Foreign Affairs.