2025 ASIL Abroad - Singapore

Skip to main content Home / Events / 2025 ASIL Abroad - Singapore 2025 ASIL Abroad - Singapore Traditions and Transitions in International Law ASIL Abroad 2025 Speakers and Co-Chairs Tommy Koh (Keynote Conversationalist) Mélida Hodgson (Keynote Conversationalist) Rena Lee (Keynote Speaker) Daniel Bethlehem (Keynote Plenary) Joan Donoghue (Keynote Plenary) Gabrielle Kaufmann-Kohler (Keynote Plenary) Marcin Czepelak (Keynote Plenary) Celine Lange (Co-Chair) Natalie Morris-Sharma (Co-Chair) Jarrod Wong (Co-Chair) Thank you to all who attended. On September 3-4, 2025, in Singapore, the American Society of International Law convened its second ASIL Abroad Meeting, continuing with the theme of the 119th Annual Meeting, "Traditions and Transitions in International Law". The Meeting - the first in Asia - explored different perspectives, leveraging off the meeting venue in Singapore. The meeting took place at the RELC International Hotel. Day One Schedule Wednesday, September 3 RELC International Hotel 30 Orange Grove Rd, Singapore 258352 MAP 9:00 – 10:00 am Opening Welcome & Plenary Keynote Conversation with Ambassador Tommy Koh and ASIL President Mélida Hodgson Auditorium 10:00 – 10:30 am 10:30 - 11:45 am Session 1 The Arc and Future of International Criminal Law – From the Rome Statute to the Crimes against Humanity Treaty Room 508 Description: More than twenty years after the entry into force of the International Criminal Court (ICC) Statute on 1 July 2002, the UN General Assembly Sixth Committee decided by consensus in November 2024 to launch the process to negotiate an international convention on crimes against humanity, based on the draft Articles on Prevention and Punishment of Crimes against Humanity adopted in 2019 by the UN International Law Commission (ILC). The purposes of the panel will be to explore the articulation of the draft treaty with existing instruments such as the ICC Statute, or its relationship with other ILC work on the Immunity of State Officials. The interventions will also aim to critically examine the pending issues raised by the current ILC draft articles on gender-based violence, enforced disappearance—in light of the 2006 UN Convention on Enforced Disappearance of Persons—or the rules governing the establishment of domestic criminal jurisdiction. Speakers: Hélène Tigroudja , Visiting Research Professor, Centre for International Law / Aix-Marseille University (moderator) Andrea Cayley , Executive Director, Center for Law and Global Affairs / Professor of Practice, Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law James Low , Deputy Senior State Counsel, Attorney-General's Chambers, Singapore Melanie O'Brien , Associate Professor of International Law & Deputy Head of School (Research), University of Western Australia Law School Rashmi Raman , Research Fellow, Centre for International Law, Singapore Multilateralism Under Strain: Diplomacy in a Divided World Room 506 Description : The post-Cold War order is over, but what comes next remains unclear. The U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has described the current political moment as a "purgatory of polarity." In this changing world, commitment to international law is receding and the effectiveness of international institutions is eroding. These trends are driven by both the abdication of leadership by the founders of the post-World War II order and the decline of popular trust in global governance. This panel explores these realities and discusses how the international legal order can be reinvigorated to provide guardrails that protect against further instability and conflict. Panelists will examine the challenges facing multilateral diplomacy and propose strategies for strengthening international institutions and reinforcing adherence to international legal norms in a divided world Speakers: Charis Tan , Partner, Peter & Kim (moderator) Simon Chesterman , David Marshall Professor of Law & Vice Provost (Educational Innovation), National University of Singapore Olufemi Elias , Judge ad hoc, International Court of Justice/ Visiting Professor in international law at Queen Mary University of London Akiko Ito , Executive Director, UNITAR CIFAL Japan 11:45 - 1:15 pm Lunch 1:15 - 2:30 pm Session 2 Global Climate Action in the Trump Era Room: 506 Description: One of the first announcements Donald Trump made upon his inauguration as the 47th U.S. president on January 20, 2025, was the country’s withdrawal from the Paris Agreement. Less than two months later, the United States also withdrew from the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), affecting over US$3 billion of American commitments—mostly commercial loans—in Indonesia and Vietnam. These actions have threatened the pace and ambition of state and corporate climate action globally. This panel will critically examine the setbacks and challenges of global climate action in the wake of Trump’s second presidency while highlighting success stories and ongoing legal efforts to combat climate change. Speakers will explore how governments, businesses, and civil society can adapt strategies and legal tools to maintain momentum despite political headwinds. Speakers: Linda Yanti Sulistiawati , Senior Research Fellow, APCEL/ Associate Professor of Law, Universitas Gadjah Mada (moderator) Beatriz Garcia , Associate Professor of Law, Sorbonne Abu Dhabi Elizabeth Wu , Legal Consultant, ClientEarth Junice Yeo , Executive Director, Eco-Business Reciprocal Tariff Policy and New Rules for Global Trade Room: 508 Description :   Since returning to office in 2025, President Donald Trump has renewed efforts to reshape global trade through his “Reciprocal Tariff Policy,” which ties U.S. tariffs to those imposed by its trading partners. While promoted as a fairness-based approach, the policy has created significant disruption to the rules-based multilateral trading system, especially the World Trade Organization (WTO). This panel will explore the legal and policy dimensions of the new tariff strategy. What are the core features of the policy? How does it align—or conflict—with existing WTO rules, particularly the principles of Most-Favored-Nation treatment and binding commitments? What legal justifications has the U.S. offered, and how are other countries responding? Beyond legality, the panel will assess the broader economic and geopolitical consequences of this shift. Is the world heading toward deeper trade fragmentation? What are the implications for developing economies and open trading nations? Southeast Asia, in particular, stands at a crossroads. As a region reliant on both Chinese and American markets, how should ASEAN economies position themselves in response to growing unilateralism? Should they invest more in regional trade integration, seek to strengthen WTO reform, or pursue other strategies? Featuring leading experts from government, academia, and legal practice, this panel will provide a timely and multifaceted discussion on the future of trade governance in an increasingly transactional world. The session aims to equip participants with a clearer understanding of what the “new rules” of global trade may look like—and how countries can respond. Speakers : Henry Gao , Professor of Law, Singapore Management University (moderator) Kala Anandarajah , Head, Competition & Antitrust and Trade, Rajah & Tann Mary Elizabeth Chelliah , Principal Trade Specialist, Ministry of Trade and Industry Eugene Lim , Founding Principal, WTS Taxise James J. Nedumpara , Head & Professor, Centre for Trade and Investment Law, Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, New Delhi Greg Shaffer , Scott K. Ginsburg Professor of International Law, Georgetown University Law Center 2:30 - 3:00 pm Break 3:00 - 4:15 pm Session 3 Technology and Human Rights: Between Individual Autonomy, Technological Sovereignty, and International Regulation Room: 508 Description: The digital revolution is reshaping the international human rights landscape—with profound challenges for the existing legal framework. At the heart of this transformation are questions about the extraterritorial application of human rights obligations in the digital sphere, jurisdictional complexities in cyberspace, and the accountability of transnational technology corporations under international law. Technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, surveillance systems, and digital platforms are transforming how rights are exercised and protected. The inherently cross-border nature of digital technologies offers significant potential to enhance access to information, healthcare, education, participation, and privacy protection. At the same time, these technologies are reshaping how abuses occur, exacerbating risks of human rights violations, including privacy breaches, algorithmic discrimination, and the transnational spread of disinformation. Both the opportunities and the challenges fuel the regulatory instinct of states seeking to reclaim technological and digital sovereignty. Few binding international legal instruments are dedicated to human rights in the digital space. Soft-law instruments developed by international organizations, such as the UNESCO Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, seek to fill regulatory gaps. This panel will explore how international human rights law—rooted in instruments such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR)—addresses the implications of emerging technologies. It will examine whether existing treaty obligations adequately regulate state and corporate conduct in the digital sphere, or whether the evolving technological landscape requires the development of new international norms and standards, such as those in the UN Global Digital Compact and various regional frameworks. By situating the discussion within broader debates on technological sovereignty, cross-border data governance, and the human rights responsibilities of non-state actors, the panel will assess how international law can evolve to safeguard fundamental rights while fostering inclusive and accountable technological progress. The session will identify pathways toward a human-centric approach to global digital governance that upholds human dignity, equality, and accountability in an era of rapid technological change. Speakers: Georgios Dimitropoulos , Professor of Law & Associate Dean for Research, Hamad Bin Khalifa University College of Law (moderator) June Park , Nonresident Fellow, Middle East Council on Global Affairs Elena Pribytkova , Senior Research Fellow, Centre for International Law, Singapore Josh Lee Kok Thong , Managing Director, Asia-Pacific, Future of Privacy Forum Barbara Tsai , Assistant General Counsel (Asia Head of Compliance), Microsoft International Adjudication in Ascendance? Room: 506 Description :  International courts and tribunals appear to be playing an increasingly prominent role in shaping the global legal order, yet their authority and effectiveness are continually tested by shifting geopolitical realities and questions of legitimacy. This panel will convene leading experts and judges to critically examine the evolving landscape of international dispute resolution as it pertains to states, corporations, and individuals. In particular, the panelists will draw on their diverse expertise and recent casework to consider whether there is a genuine trend toward the judicial resolution of international disputes and assess the extent to which international adjudication is serving as an effective means of resolving such disputes. Panelists will also explore the impact of recent geopolitical developments on the authority and utility of international adjudicatory bodies, as well as the interplay between national sovereignty, nationalism, and international legal norms. The session will also be an opportunity to exchange ideas on the possible ways in which legal professionals and academics can contribute to the development of a more robust and responsive international legal system, and thereby strengthen the ability of international courts and tribunals to address emerging global crises such as climate change and cyber operations, as well as the persistent ones of genocide and war crimes. Speakers : Tafadzwa Pasipanodya , Partner, International Litigation & Arbitration Department, Foley Hoag LLP (moderator) Malgosia Fitzmaurice , Professor of Public International Law, Queen Mary University of London Makane Mbengue , Professor of International Law, Faculty of Law, University of Geneva Can Yeginsu , Barrister & Arbitrator, 3 Verulam Buildings 4:15 - 4:30 pm Comfort Break 4:30 - 6:30 pm Plenary - Charting the Course: A Dialogue on the Expert Group on the Future Development of the PCA Auditorium Description :  Moderated by Judge Joan E. Donoghue, this panel will introduce attendees to the work of the Expert Group on the Permanent Court of Arbitration through a conversation with its members. Speakers : Joan Donoghue , Honorary President of the American Society of International Law/ Former President of the International Court of Justice; Member of the PCA Expert Group (Moderator) Daniel Bethlehem , Barrister, Twenty Essex/ Former Legal Adviser, U.K. Foreign & Commonwealth Office/ Co-Chair, PCA Expert Group Marcin Czepelak , Secretary-General of the PCA Gabrielle Kaufmann-Kohler , Partner, Levy Kaufmann-Kohler/ Co-Chair of the PCA Expert Group 6:00 - 8:00 pm Opening Reception MAP WongPartnership 12 Marina Blvd, Tower 3 Marina Bay Financial Centre Singapore 018982 CLOSE WEDNESDAY Day Two Schedule Thursday, September 4 RELC International Hotel 30 Orange Grove Rd, Singapore 258352 MAP 9:15 - 10:30 am Session 4 Compulsory Mediation for International Disputes Room: 508 Description: At the global level, soft law-making bodies such as UNCITRAL have generally left open the question of mediation program design to be inclusive of compulsory or voluntary modalities. In international dispute settlement, mediation may be made compulsory under certain treaty regimes. This includes, for example, the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea mediation of maritime boundary disputes (Article 298, Annex V) or the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Article 84). Bilateral Investment Treaties likewise have increasingly included provisions for compulsory mediation. UNCITRAL’s Working Group III, in considering reforms to the ISDS system, has highlighted that a potential area of reform is the strengthening of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, including recourse to investor-State mediation. The Singapore Convention, while not mandating mediation itself, supports the enforcement of international mediated agreements. Compulsory mediation reflects a distinct approach to state responsibility for reaching agreement with associated benefits and drawbacks. This panel will reflect on the development of compulsory me