STATEMENT BY MS AMANDA CHONG, COUNSELLOR (LEGAL), PERMANENT MISSION OF THE REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE TO THE UNITED NATIONS, ON AGENDA ITEM 84, ON THE RULE OF LAW AT THE NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL LEVELS, SIXTH COMMITTEE, 8 OCTOBER 2026

Madam Chair,

1                  Let me begin by reaffirming Singapore’s abiding commitment to the rule of law. For a small State, the rule of law is a matter of survival. In a world where outcomes are increasingly determined by size, leverage and coercion, international law allows small States to stand on equal footing with the large. It provides predictability, constrains the arbitrary exercise of power, and safeguards the autonomy of every State, whatever its size.

2                  Singapore thanks the Secretary-General for his report. We welcome its reminder that the rule of law lies at the heart of the Charter, and its warning that the erosion of the rule of law would threaten the international legal framework this Organization was created to sustain. Allow me to share three reflections, beginning with this year’s subtopic.

3                  First, we must invest in the dialogue through which international law is made. Singapore has long championed multilateral law-making. Professor Tommy Koh and Ambassador Rena Lee had the honour of presiding over the conferences that produced UNCLOS, the constitution for the oceans, and the BBNJ Agreement, which entered into force this year. These experiences remind us that durable treaties are built through patient diplomacy, careful legal work and a willingness to bridge differences.

4                  Central to this process is the dialogue between this Committee and the International Law Commission (ILC). The ILC brings independent legal expertise. States bring their practice, their views and, ultimately, their consent. Through written comments and debate in the Sixth Committee, we test the Commission’s work products and determine how they are to be carried forward. The modern law of the sea itself has roots in the Commission’s work. Today, the ILC’s draft articles on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes Against Humanity and on the Protection of Persons in the Event of Disasters are being carried forward into treaty negotiations. The participation of the Special Rapporteur on crimes against humanity in the preparatory process has shown the value of the Commission’s expertise at every stage. Singapore will remain a constructive participant in both processes, working towards instruments that command consensus and fit coherently within existing international law. The making of international law is a shared responsibility: the ILC’s work is strongest when it draws on the practice and opinio juris of States from all regions.

5                  Second, we must support the institutions that make the peaceful settlement of disputes possible. This year, we mark the eightieth anniversary of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the thirtieth anniversary of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS). Both institutions have given States confidence that disputes can be resolved through international law rather than by might.

6                  Singapore has consistently placed its faith in international law and in the institutions that uphold it. We have appeared before both the ICJ and ITLOS in disputes of our own, and we have respected and implemented their decisions. We have also participated in advisory proceedings before both institutions. It is in this spirit that Singapore’s National Group of the Permanent Court of Arbitration has  nominated Ambassador for International Law Rena Lee as Singapore’s candidate to be a Judge of the ICJ, at elections to be held on 3 November this year. We now seek the opportunity to steward and advance the rule of law at the international level.

7                  Third, the international rule of law must be underpinned by strong rule of law at home. This year, Singapore marks 200 years of the rule of law since the Second Charter of Justice of 1826 laid the foundations of our legal system. Over two centuries, generations of judges and lawyers have built a justice system defined by independence and excellence. It has been essential to Singapore’s development as a global city-state. The rule of law came to Singapore as a colonial inheritance. We made it our own, developing a jurisprudence attuned to our society while drawing on the experience of other legal systems. Over time, our institutions have earned the confidence of parties from around the world, and we do not take that trust for granted. That trust has allowed Singapore to serve the international community as an established venue for the peaceful settlements of disputes. For example, Singapore hosts the offices of the Permanent Court of Arbitration and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). Singapore also has a model agreement with ITLOS that would enable Singapore to host hearings of the Tribunal and its chambers.

8                  Our experience has taught us an important lesson: the rule of law endures when those who live under it have a stake in it. The same is true of international law. It will command respect when all States, whatever their size or legal tradition, have a genuine hand in shaping it, including through the work of the International Law Commission. That is why capacity-building matters. It is an investment in the legitimacy and universality of international law. Under the Singapore Cooperation Programme, we have supported capacity-building on topics such as global health law and governance, international law of the sea, as well as the harmonisation of international trade law and key legal instruments of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law. In addition, this year, Singapore will host the Global Rule of Law Conference from 24 to 26 November, bringing together judicial and legal leaders from Singapore and around the world to exchange perspectives and advance dialogue on key rule of law issues. We look forward to welcoming colleagues from all regions.

Madam Chair,

9                  The founders of this Organization resolved “to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained”. More than eight decades on, that resolve is under strain. It will not sustain itself. It must be renewed by every State. Singapore will play its part. We will help to develop international law. We will support the institutions that uphold it. And we will work to ensure that every State, large or small, has a meaningful hand in shaping it.

10                I thank you.