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STATEMENT BY MR NATHANIEL KHNG, COUNSELLOR (LEGAL), PERMANENT MISSION OF SINGAPORE TO THE UNITED NATIONS, ON AGENDA ITEM 80, ON THE REPORT OF THE INTERNATIONAL LAW COMMISSION ON THE WORK OF ITS SEVENTY-SECOND SESSION, SIXTH COMMITTEE, 5 NOVEMBER 2020

5 November 2020

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1                  Thank you Mr Chair.  Singapore would like to thank the Chair-designate of the 72nd session of the International Law Commssion and the Secretary of the Commission for their oral reports.


2                  Singapore, as a small State with a firm belief in the rules-based multilateral system, would like to reiterate its strong support for the Commssion’s work and its organic and symbiotic relationship with the General Assembly through this Committee.


3                  Singapore recognises that the situation created by the the COVID-19 pandemic required extraordinary measures to be taken with respect to the Commission, including the postponement of its 72nd session.  However, in times of crisis such as the present, the importance of the international rule of law is not diminished.  In fact, it is elevated.  In this regard, it is critical that institutions, whose work are central to the continual strengthening and upholding of the international rule of law, are able to find ways to continue their work to the extent that is possible.  The Commission, which is the only expert body that is responsible together with this Committee for discharging the General Assembly’s mandate to pursue the “progressive development of international law and its codification”, in furtherance of no less than the purposes and principles of the United Nations, is undoubtedly one such institution.


4                  Therefore, we appreciate the work that has been undertaken during this extended intersessional period by Commission members with respect to topics in the Commmission’s programme of work.  At the same time, we strongly encourage the Commission to continue to explore ways to adapt its working methods to the circumstances, including holding the Commission’s sessions virtually if necessary, if it is not possible for members to meet in-person in the usual manner.


5                  Thank you very much for your attention.


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