STATEMENT BY AMBASSADOR BURHAN GAFOOR, PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE TO THE UNITED NATIONS, ON AGENDA ITEM 73, ON THE REPORT OF THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE, GENERAL ASSEMBLY, 24 OCTOBER 2024

Thank you very much, Mr President,

1 I would like to begin by extending my congratulations to His Excellency Judge Nawaf Salam on his election as the President of the International Court of Justice. Allow me to convey to President Salam my delegation’s best wishes for a successful and impactful term.  My delegation also thanks President Salam for the comprehensive presentation on the activities of the Court during the period under review.

Mr President, Excellencies,

2 Our world is indeed in turmoil, marked by an escalating climate-related crisis, rising geopolitical tensions and numerous conflicts.  This underscores the critical need to uphold international law and the UN Charter. The growing challenges to international peace and security pose significant risks in both traditional and new domains, creating a perilous environment for small States like Singapore.  This is an existential issue, because respect for the principles of sovereignty, political independence, and territorial integrity is fundamental to the survival of all States regardless of size, but especially so for small States.  In response to these seismic shifts in the global order, we firmly believe that we must act collectively to prevent the deepening crisis from becoming unsolvable. It is essential that we uphold the international rule of law and avoid a scenario where might makes right. As members of the international community, and especially taking into account the interests of small States, we must all send a clear signal that we are united in pursuing peace, in upholding international law, and in safeguarding non-negotiable principles such as sovereign equality, territorial integrity, and political independence.

Mr President, Excellencies,

3 It is significant that our debate today takes place on United Nations Day. As reflected in its Charter, the United Nations was established to promote justice and respect for international law. The United Nations’ efforts in this regard over the last eight decades have built on the important work of the International Court of Justice. The Court, which is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, has been indispensable to the rule of law at the international level.  Through its judgments, all States, regardless of size, may be held accountable, and have their rights and interests upheld, in accordance with international law. Its advisory jurisdiction contributes to the clarification and development of international law and thereby strengthens the international legal order.

4 The Pact for the Future, adopted by the General Assembly at the Summit of the Future last month, provides a resounding reaffirmation of the role played by the Court in the maintenance of international peace and security.  The Pact was a clarion call for the international community to keep up with the evolving challenges of protecting future generations from the scourge of war.  In particular, my delegation wishes to highlight Action 17 of the Pact, which was in fact proposed by the delegation of Singapore with the objective of strengthening the international community’s commitment to and support for the work of the International Court of Justice. This particular Action item, Action 17, reaffirms the obligation of all States to comply with the decisions of the Court in cases to which they are parties and records the decision of Member States to take appropriate steps to ensure that the Court can fully and effectively discharge its mandate and promote awareness of its role in the peaceful settlement of disputes, while respecting that parties to any dispute may also seek other peaceful means of their own choice.

Mr President,

5 Singapore will continue to be a staunch supporter of the Court, whose work is essential to the maintenance of the international rule of law and the peaceful settlement of disputes.  In line with Singapore’s longstanding commitment to international law and our support for the International Court of Justice, the Singapore National Group has announced its intention to nominate Ms Rena Lee, Singapore’s Ambassador for International Law, for election as a Judge of the Court for the term 2027 to 2036.  Ambassador Rena Lee is a distinguished practitioner of international law, and she is well-known to the international community. Member States would be familiar with her role and accomplishments as President of the Intergovernmental Conference on Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (“BBNJ”), where her able leadership of the negotiations led to the consensus adoption of the BBNJ Agreement. Ambassador Rena Lee’s public international law practice also includes more than three decades of service as an international lawyer and diplomat.  She has served in The Hague, and has also served as legal advisor to and negotiator for the Singapore Government across the full spectrum of international law issues. The Singapore Government fully supports Ambassador Rena Lee’s candidature for the International Court of Justice, and we look forward to the support of all Member States. 

Mr President, 

6 In light of what I have said as a backdrop, please allow me to make three points.  First, Singapore commends the Court for its remarkable ability to manage the increased caseload, which demonstrates its resilience and adaptability in addressing complex legal and geopolitical issues, ensuring that all States, big or small, have a reliable and cost-effective legal avenue to resolve conflicts.  

7 As highlighted in the Court’s report, during the period under review, 134 States were involved in contentious or advisory proceedings before the Court, whether as parties or intervenors, which is a significant increase from the 85 States in the previous period.  This underscores the growing importance and relevance of the Court in international conflict resolution. Singapore also appreciates the Registry’s efforts to streamline, optimise and modernise its working methods, which have been instrumental in enabling the Court to address the increased workload in 2023 within the resources approved for the year.

8 This leads on to my second point, which is related to the issue of funding for the Court.  The Court is seeking an increase in its proposed budget for 2025 to strengthen the support provided by the Registry to the Court for its judicial functions, and this is particularly critical in the light of the sustained increase in the Court’s workload and the need to modernise the Registry to enable it to face new challenges. The proposed budget for 2025 amounts to $33,729,200 before re-costing, which represents an overall increase of $1,114,400 compared with the approved appropriations for 2024.  In our view, the Court’s budget is a lean one accounting for less than one percent of the overall UN budget. The Court is also constrained in that it would not be able to accept voluntary contributions without compromising its integrity.

9 We believe the Court’s proposed budget for 2025 is reasonable and modest, considering the significant increase in workload and the mitigation measures taken by the Registry.  It is essential that we support this budget to ensure the Court can function effectively. Any shortfalls in the Court’s resourcing would hamper its ability to deliver on its mandates, which may have far-reaching consequences, beyond the impact on user States in the form of increased backlogs and delays in the processing of cases.  We wish to highlight, in comparison, that the annual budget for peacekeeping operations amounts to about US$6 billion and the International Criminal Court’s approved budget for 2024, by comparison, was €183.5 million.  Member States should therefore make the prudent investment in international justice through ensuring adequate resources for the International Court of Justice. We urge all Member States to support the Court’s proposed budget which would allow the Court to continue its discharging its vital role in an efficient and timely fashion.

10 Finally, as a member of the group of States that co-coordinated the General Assembly resolution to establish the trust fund for the Judicial Fellowship Programme, Singapore is pleased to see this Programme growing from strength to strength.  We welcome the continuing interest in the Programme, as demonstrated in the high number and diversity of applications to the Programme, and the selection of four Judicial Fellows for the 2024 to 2025 Programme who are nationals of developing countries nominated by universities in developing countries.  We are optimistic that the greater diversity in the selection of Judicial Fellows, which is being facilitated by the increased opportunities provided by the trust fund, will contribute to the development of a more inclusive international law community.

11 That said, there remains a pressing need for more to be done to ensure that all States have equal access to the Court. Small States continue to face resource and capacity challenges, and my delegation stands ready to support new initiatives that have the objective of providing long-term solutions for such challenges.

Mr President,

12 In closing, we reiterate that a strong and effective multilateral rules-based international order is not merely a necessity but it is an existential issue, not only for all Member States, but in particular for small States. The Court is a key pillar in upholding the international rule of law and we call on members of the General Assembly and the United Nations to support the work of the Court at this critical moment. 

13 I thank you very much for your attention.

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