CIL Dialogues is the re-imagination of the existing blog of the Centre for International Law (CIL) of the National University of Singapore (NUS). The editorial team’s approach to CIL Dialogues reflects two shared commitments. First, we share a generalist perspective of international law, viewed as raising shared foundational questions across specialised fields, institutions, regions, and inquiries. Secondly, we are appreciative that CIL Dialogues is not based in (the virtual space of), or associated with institutions in the ‘Western European and Others States Group’. The blog will therefore be interested in international law broadly conceived and seek to be attentive to regional perspectives to questions of universal and general relevance, particularly relating to Asia Pacific, as well as the views and voices that may have been traditionally excluded. More...
Featured Symposium ...
Overlapping Maritime Claims in the Gulf of Thailand: The Second Case of Compulsory Conciliation under UNCLOS? By Dr. Trung Nguyen & Dr. Tara Davenport Published on 14 May 2026 On 5 May 2026, Thailand announced that it has cancelled the longstanding 2001 Memorandum of Understanding with Cambodia regarding the area of their overlapping maritime claims …
Another Nail in the Coffin of Multilateralism? Deep Sea Minerals Corp.’ Application Outside the ISA Framework By Nicolò Andreotti Published on 8 April 2026 The governance of deep-sea mining has long been anchored in a single foundational premise: activities in the Area must be conducted ‘for the benefit of humankind as a whole’ under the …
The Gambia v. Myanmar: A reflection on the consequences of serious breaches of peremptory norms before the ICJ By Luciano Pezzano & Diego Enrique Uribe Bustamante Published on 31 March 2026 The Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (The Gambia v. Myanmar) is a historical case. For …
Armed Conflict Spillover into Neutral Exclusive Economic Zones: The Attack on IRIS Dena and Lessons for Southeast Asian States By Dita Liliansa Published on 30 March 2026 This article examines the recent attack on an Iranian warship in Sri Lanka’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) at the height of the US/Israel-Iran conflict, and its implications for …
The World Trade Organization Belongs to the Future — But How Do We Get There? By Gabrielle Marceau and Jian Ling Teo Published on 25 March 2026 Introduction Trade has evolved and most modern transactions today have cross-border dimensions; thus, they become trade-related matters. In that context, the World Trade Organization (WTO) has proved to …
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The ISA’s approach to equitable benefit sharing: Is there room for the common heritage of mankind? By Kristine Gu Published on 18 February 2026 The 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) was drafted before states were capable of earnestly commencing deep seabed mining (DSM) activities. The wealth to be unlocked …
What Trump’s Intervention in Venezuela reveals about International Law By Alexandra Hofer Published on 29 January 2026 On 3 January 2026, the US used force against Venezuela to kidnap its head of state, Nicolas Maduro, and his wife, Cilia Flores. The intervention marks the cumulation of the US desire for regime change in Venezuela and …
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Threats of Force under Article 2(4): From Abstraction to Practice By Davit Khachatryan Published on 23 January 2026 Trump’s recent statements on the use of power are striking for their candour. The usual diplomatic language and legal justifications are largely absent. In the aftermath of the illegal use of force in Venezuela, he has again …
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International Law on the Silk Road: Towards a New Methodological Paradigm By Sergey Sayapin Published on 6 January 2026 For several decades, international legal scholarship has been marked by a growing awareness of the limits of its canonical narratives. Critical and postcolonial approaches have exposed the Eurocentric foundations of the discipline, the structural inequalities embedded …
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Symposium | Imperialism, Sovereignty and the Making of International Law at 20 Response by Professor Antony Anghie I am deeply grateful to the authors who have engaged so thoughtfully and generously with Imperialism, Sovereignty and the Making of International Law (ISMIL). The essays range widely. Lin Zhaoran explores how a book is received within a particular context: …
Symposium | Imperialism, Sovereignty and the Making of International Law at 20 Empire Comes Home? The Continued Relevance of ISMIL today By Sundhya Pahuja The United States is flexing its muscles: Western countries with ‘special relationships’ are being bullied with tariffs; Canada is threatened with annexation; Western leaders are feeling ‘betrayed’. But they should not be surprised. …
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Symposium | Imperialism, Sovereignty and the Making of International Law at 20 Sources of Hope for Anti-Imperial International Law By Phattharaphong Saengkrai Faculty of Law, Thammasat University 1. Introduction There is an apparent paradox of hope in Imperialism, Sovereignty and the Making of International Law. The central arguments in this magisterial book do not immediately inspire much …
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Symposium | Imperialism, Sovereignty and the Making of International Law at 20 Searching for a middle ground? The Reception of Imperialism, Sovereignty, and the Making of International Law in China By Dr. Lin Zhaoran Since its publication two decades ago, Anthony Anghie’s Imperialism, Sovereignty, and the Making of International Law (ISMIL) has had profound impact around the …
Symposium | Imperialism, Sovereignty and the Making of International Law at 20 A Critique Of Postcolonial Sovereignty: Perspectives from Jammu and Kashmir By Sahiba Maqbool Introduction On the 20th anniversary of the publication of Antony Anghie’s Imperialism, Sovereignty and the Making of International Law, this blog post reflects on the enduring significance of his work in the …
Symposium | Imperialism, Sovereignty and the Making of International Law at 20 The Law Was Never Meant to Protect Us By Zeina Jallad In Imperialism, Sovereignty and the Making of International Law, Anthony Anghie shows how Third World sovereignty was forged through the colonial encounter and became a retarding force, making it difficult to undo colonial legacies. …
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Symposium | Imperialism, Sovereignty and the Making of International Law at 20 Imperialism, Sovereignty and the Making of International Law at 20 by Ntina Tzouvala and Wanshu Cong Published on 12 November 2025 We live in dangerous, disorientating times characterised by the global resurgence of authoritarianism, ethno-nationalism and xenophobia. As we are finalising this note, …
From Nairobi to Geneva: An Appraisal of the Global Plastic Treaty Negotiation Processes and the Road Ahead By Dr Liu Yulu Published on 17 September 2025 Plastic pollution has been found in places as high as the Himalayas and as deep as the Mariana Trench. Moreover, microplastics have been discovered in human bodies. Plastics can …
Filling the Gap in Liability and Compensation for Alternative Fuel Spills from Ships By Joel Ong, Centre for International Law, NUS (formerly) LLM Candidate, Harvard Law School (present) jong@llm26.law.harvard.edu The shipping industry is betting big on alternative fuels for its energy transition. Based on the 2024 orderbook, over 1700 vessels have been ordered with alternative …
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The AANZFTA Upgrade: E-Commerce Enhancements (Part 2) By Miguel Jaime Encarnacion Published on 29 August 2025 The second installment of this series discusses electronic commerce (e-commerce) under the Agreement Establishing the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA). Focusing on regulatory aspects, this blog follows its development from the original 2009 AANZFTA to its Second Protocol …
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The ICJ Advisory Opinion and the Energy Transition Mandate By Dr Mohammad Hazrati Published on 14 August 2025 Finally, the long-awaited Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the obligations of States regarding climate change has been delivered. The Opinion exceeds expectations and can confidently be described as a turning point, not …
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Open the Floodgates: Standing for the Enforcement of Obligations Erga Omnes in the ICJ’s Advisory Opinion on Climate Change By Priya Urs Published on 11 August 2025 [Several themes discussed are elaborated in forthcoming articles in the British Yearbook of International Law and the International and Comparative Law Quarterly.] The International Court of Justice (ICJ, …
Commentary on Remembering Peace in a Time of War: Why International Law Matters More Than Ever Peace and International Law – Some TWAIL Reflections By Antony Anghie Published on 30 July 2025 This collection of essays illuminates the rich, complex, multi-dimensional, contradictory relationships between peace on one hand, and international law and relations on the …
Seven Groundbreaking Insights from the Inter-American Court’s Climate Advisory Opinion By Dr Mohammad Hazrati Published on 22 July 2025 Introduction On May 29, 2025, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACtHR) delivered its Advisory Opinion OC-32/25, requested by Chile and Colombia, addressing States’ obligations to respond to the climate emergency within the framework of international …
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Commentary on Remembering Peace in a Time of War: Why International Law Matters More Than Ever By Patricia Galvão Teles Published on 18 July 2025 At the time the world’s attention is so focused on war and conflict, it is important to remember and think about peace. The history of humankind has been filled with …
Remembering Peace in a Time of War: Why International Law Matters More Than Ever A Message of International Law and Peace by Tommy Koh The wish above all other wishes is for peace. The opposite of peace is war. As some one who lived through the Second World War and the occupation of Singapore by …
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The AANZFTA Upgrade: The Three New Chapters (Part 1) By Miguel Jaime Encarnacion Published on 9 July 2025 The Second Protocol to Amend the Agreement Establishing the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA) entered into force on 21 April 2025. Regarded as one of ASEAN’s most progressive Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), it is the latest …
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Remembering Peace in a Time of War: Why International Law Matters More Than Ever | Brokering Peace The ASEAN Way of Peace-Making by Johan Pahlepi Introduction Since ASEAN’s establishment in 1967 by the five founding nations Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand, ASEAN has moved incisively towards cooperation and integration to stabilise a region once marked …
Remembering Peace in a Time of War: Why International Law Matters More Than Ever | Brokering Peace For a Free and United Europe Building Integration, Ensuring Peace by Vincenzo Elia “In Peace, Sons bury their Fathers. In War, Fathers bury their Sons.” Herodotus The European Union’s Birthday “Europe Day” commemorates the Schuman declaration of 9 May …
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Remembering Peace in a Time of War: Why International Law Matters More Than Ever | Brokering Peace Regional Human Rights Courts as Peacebuilders by Hélène Tigroudja In its Judgment Sargsyan v. Azerbaijan (2017) dealing with the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict between Azerbaijan and Armenia, the European Court of Human Rights affirmed that: It is the responsibility of the …
Remembering Peace in a Time of War: Why International Law Matters More Than Ever | Brokering Peace Peace Through Law: A Tale of Two Courts by Yang Wenlan & Celine Lange The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ)—thereafter “the courts”—are widely viewed as symbols of peace and justice. Since their …
Remembering Peace in a Time of War: Why International Law Matters More Than Ever | Building Peace Re-reading Article 39 of the UN Charter in the Language of Peace by Hla Yadanar Win Article 24 of the UN Charter grants the UNSC the ‘primary’ responsibility for the ‘maintenance of international peace and security,’ and its drafting history …
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Remembering Peace in a Time of War: Why International Law Matters More Than Ever | Building Peace Multiple Provisional Measures Requests before the ICJ: A Facilitator or Obstacle for Peace Processes? by Onur Uraz The International Court of Justice (ICJ), as the only judicial organ referred to in the UN Charter, is designed to be the apex …
Remembering Peace in a Time of War: Why International Law Matters More Than Ever | Building Peace The Architects of Peace: Studying the Involvement of Non-State Actors in Peace Processes by Trisha Unnikrishnan The traditional conception of international law as norms concerned only with the conduct of States is slowly eroding. There is growing recognition that its …
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Remembering Peace in a Time of War: Why International Law Matters More Than Ever | Building Peace What Role for International Law in Ensuring Women’s Participation in Peace Processes and Beyond? by Julia Vassileva This piece, guided by the question “What role does international law play in ensuring participation of women in peace processes?”, examines the significant …
Remembering Peace in a Time of War: Why International Law Matters More Than Ever | Manufacturing Peace Seeking Digital Peace and Security in a World of Quantum Uncertainty by Jon Truby Opportunities for peace in the Quantum Era United Nations General Assembly Resolution A/RES/78/287 declares 2025 to be the International Year of Quantum Science and …
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Remembering Peace in a Time of War: Why International Law Matters More Than Ever | Manufacturing Peace The Right to Peace: From Proclamation to Human Right by Elena Pribytkova It isn’t enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn’t enough to believe in it. One must work at it. Eleanor …
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