Rena Lee elected to International Court of Justice, becoming first Singaporean judge - CNA
Ms Lee, 57, secured the highest number of votes in the UN General Assembly with 151 out of 191 votes, and the joint-highest number in the Security Council with 13 out of 15 votes.
Ambassador Rena Lee will begin her term as an ICJ judge in February 2027. (File photo: NUS Law)
This audio is generated by an AI tool.
SINGAPORE: Ambassador for International Law Rena Lee has been elected as a judge of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), said the Ministry of Law (MinLaw) on Wednesday (Nov 4). She is the first Singaporean and the first woman from Southeast Asia to be elected to the court, the ministry added.
Ms Lee, 57, secured one of five seats on the 15-judge court for the 2027 to 2036 term.
She will begin her term in February 2027.
The election was held on Tuesday at the United Nations headquarters in New York, with voting conducted in both the UN General Assembly and the UN Security Council.
CNA Games Guess Word Crack the word, one row at a time Buzzword Create words using the given letters Mini Sudoku Tiny puzzle, mighty brain teaser Mini Crossword Small grid, big challenge Word Search Spot as many words as you can Show More Show Less Ms Lee secured an absolute majority in both bodies, receiving 151 out of 191 votes in the General Assembly and 13 out of 15 votes in the Security Council.
She received the highest number of votes in the General Assembly and the joint-highest number in the Security Council.
As the UN's principal judicial organ, the ICJ adjudicates legal disputes between sovereign states that they agree to submit to the ICJ, and may give advisory opinions to the General Assembly or Security Council, involving international law, said senior lecturer Michael Ng from the School of Law at the Singapore University of Social Sciences.
The ICJ is distinct from the International Criminal Court, which prosecutes individuals for international crimes like genocide and war crimes.
Established in 1945 under the UN Charter, the 15-judge ICJ deals principally with settling legal disputes submitted by states and issuing advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by authorised UN bodies and agencies.
In other words, the ICJ serves as a rules-based dispute mechanism allowing UN member states to resolve international disagreements peacefully through law, rather than through conflict and coercion.
Singapore has previously participated in proceedings before the court. In 2008, the ICJ resolved a long-standing territorial dispute with Malaysia over Pedra Branca.
The ICJ awarded sovereignty over Pedra Branca to Singapore and Middle Rocks to Malaysia, while ruling that South Ledge belonged to whichever state's territorial waters it falls within. Malaysia subsequently sought revision and interpretation of the judgment in 2017, but withdrew both proceedings in 2018.
More recently, the court has addressed prominent disputes and questions involving armed conflict, climate change, and states’ obligations under international law.
The Singapore government congratulated Ms Lee on her election, calling it a significant milestone for the country.
MinLaw said the strong support reflected the international community's trust and confidence in Ms Lee, and wished her and the incoming ICJ bench a successful term.
Her candidature was first announced in 2024, and she was formally nominated in 2026.
On her election, Ms Lee said: "I am deeply honoured by the trust and confidence that the international community has placed in me. I am grateful to the many countries that have supported my candidature.
"The International Court of Justice plays a vital role in the peaceful settlement of disputes and the upholding of international law, particularly at a time of growing global uncertainty. I look forward to serving on the Court with independence, impartiality and integrity, and to contributing to its important work in the years ahead."
