Dr Nilüfer Oral was Invited to Speak at the American Society of International Law Abroad Meeting Held in Singapore

3-4 September 2025: CIL Director Dr Nilüfer Oral was Invited to Speak at the American Society of International Law Abroad Meeting Held in Singapore.

On September 3-4, 2025, in Singapore, the American Society of International Law convened its second ASIL Abroad Meeting, with the theme of the 119th Annual Meeting, “Traditions and Transitions in International Law”.

The second ASIL Abroad Meeting was a forum for international lawyers from all sectors of the profession, policymakers, and experts from other fields to reflect on the implications of traditions and transitions in international law.

Dr Nilufer Oral spoke at the session on Sinking Ground: Legal Responses to Sea-Level Rise and Coastal Development. In 2025, the International Law Commission released a landmark report on the legal implications of sea-level rise, addressing three urgent areas: the law of the sea, statehood, and protection of affected populations. This panel examined how to preserve maritime zones and legal certainty amid shifting coastlines, reaffirming that loss of land does not erase maritime rights. It will explore innovative legal pathways to safeguard the statehood of small island nations facing uninhabitability, from treaty-based solutions to virtual governance.

Drawing on real-world cases such as the relocation of Gardi Sugdub in Panama, panellists addressed legal gaps in protecting forced displaced communities, including statelessness, relocation, and climate justice. The discussion will close with forward-looking strategies—potentially including a binding global agreement—to ensure international law evolves to meet the challenges of rising seas while protecting sovereignty, stability, and human dignity.