Vietnam has its first Judge at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea
WVR - On June 18, within the framework of the 36th Meeting of States Parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, USA, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Lan Anh, Vice President of the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam and Vietnam's candidate, was elected as a Judge of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) for the 2026-2035 term with the highest number of votes in the Asia-Pacific region.
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| Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Lan Anh, Vice President of the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam and Vietnam's candidate, was elected as a Judge of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) for the 2026-2035 term with the highest number of votes in the Asia-Pacific region. |
This marks the first time Vietnam has had a representative at ITLOS since the Tribunal began operations in 1996. The election of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Lan Anh with a high number of votes right after the first voting round demonstrates the international community's trust in Vietnam's position and role, serving as evidence of a new development in the country's multilateral diplomacy and international legal integration.
This outcome also reflects a shift from active participation to increasingly substantial contributions in the development, implementation, and enforcement of common international standards and rules, affirming Vietnam's responsibility and capacity to contribute more effectively to the global governance system based on the rule of law.
This success also confirms the positive evaluation by UNCLOS member states of Vietnam's increasingly substantial contributions to United Nations agencies and international law.
For Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Lan Anh, winning in a highly competitive election reflects the international community's recognition of the qualities, professional competence, and reputation of a Vietnamese international legal expert.
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| The election of Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Lan Anh with a high number of votes right after the first voting round demonstrates the international community's trust in Vietnam's position and role. |
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Lan Anh will perform her duties as an ITLOS judge in accordance with the principles of independence and impartiality as stipulated in the Tribunal's Statute, thereby promoting the effective implementation of the Convention and contributing to strengthening the legal order at sea.
As a nation consistently upholding international law, supporting the United Nations Charter and the 1982 UNCLOS, Vietnam will continue to work with member states to promote the full and effective implementation of the Convention, resolve disputes peacefully, enhance maritime cooperation, and contribute to maintaining peace, stability, security, safety, and sustainable development at sea and oceans.
Some images from the Conference:
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| Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Lan Anh will perform her duties as an ITLOS judge in accordance with the principles of independence and impartiality as stipulated in the Tribunal's Statute. |
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| Vietnam has its first judge at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. |
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| The Vietnamese delegation at the Conference. |
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| Vietnam has its first judge at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. |
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| Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu answers press questions at the Conference. |
| The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) was established under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 1982 (UNCLOS) and officially commenced operations in 1996, headquartered in Hamburg, Germany. The Tribunal's function is to resolve disputes related to the interpretation and application of the Convention through judicial means. Over nearly three decades, the Tribunal has made significant contributions to strengthening the legal order at sea, promoting the rule of law, and fostering international cooperation for peace, stability, and sustainable development. The Tribunal consists of 21 independent judges, elected by UNCLOS member states, representing different legal systems and geographical regions worldwide. At the 36th Meeting of States Parties to the Law of the Sea Convention, seven new judges were elected for the 2026-2035 term. The newly elected judges from Vietnam, Ghana, Tunisia, Russia, the Netherlands, India, and Brazil will begin their terms in October 2026. UNCLOS came into effect in 1994 and currently has 172 members (171 countries and the European Union (EU)). Vietnam ratified the Convention in 1994. |
