Rena Lee secured one of five open seats on the International Court of Justice bench for a term spanning 2027 to 2036. The 57-year-old diplomat garnered commanding majorities across both United Nations voting chambers during elections held at the headquarters in New York. Beyond this upcoming role, she already holds active positions with the Permanent Court of Arbitration and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes. Her term will officially commence in February 2027.
Key points
The election marks the very first time a Singaporean national and a Southeast Asian woman…: The election marks the very first time a Singaporean national and a Southeast Asian woman will serve on the International Court of Justice.
Singapore's Ministry of Law stated that the decisive vote tallies reflect broad internati…: Singapore's Ministry of Law stated that the decisive vote tallies reflect broad international trust and confidence in her legal capabilities.
Rena Lee will officially begin her nine-year tenure on the world court's fifteen-judge be…: Rena Lee will officially begin her nine-year tenure on the world court's fifteen-judge bench in February 2027.
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Ms Lee, 57, secured 151 votes in the UN General Assembly and 13 votes in the UN Security Council to win a seat on the court from 2027 to 2036.
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.
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…
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