Researchers' Activities

Prof Beckman spoke on the role of the dispute settlement system in clarifying ambiguous provisions and responding to technological developments.

The Rhodes Academy of Oceans Law and Policy is an international collegial institution dedicated to fostering a better understanding of the modern law of the sea. Through education on the principles of contemporary oceans law and policy, the Rhodes Academy seeks to promote adherence to the rule of law in the world’s oceans. Founded in 1995, the Academy held its inaugural session in the summer of 1996 and operates on an annual basis.

This year’s Rhodes Academy was conducted virtually from 4-14 July 2021. Dr Nilufer Oral was invited to give a lecture on “Climate Change and Law of the Sea” on 9 July 2021. There were 16 lectures plus three question and answer periods at this year’s academy.

Please click the link to find out more about the Rhodes Academy: https://marine.unh.edu/academics/rhodes-academy

Research fellow Arron N Honniball presented a draft paper, ‘Traditional Fishing Rights and a Customary Law Right of Access to Port: Arbitral Awards from Eritrea – Yemen to the South China Sea’.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of South Korea held the Fifth International Conference on the Law of the Sea from December 3 to 4, 2020. The International Conference on the Law of the Sea has been held since 2016 to discuss the latest trends and progress in the research on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which regulates the peaceful usage of the sea and fair and effective utilization of its resources, and on the jurisprudence of relevant international organizations.

The theme for this year’s conference is Regional Cooperation and Marine Environmental Protection under the UNCLOS Regime. The first session of the conference covered the topic on “Duty of Cooperation under the UNCLOS Regime”. Dr Oral spoke on “The duty to cooperate under Part XII of UNCLOS and the protection and conservation of biological diversity beyond national jurisdiction”.

Other speakers who spoke alongside with Dr Oral include Amb. Markiyan Kulyk (ITLOS), Prof LEE Seok-Woo (Inha University), Judge Oscar Cabello Sarubbi (ITLOS) and Prof KIM Hyun Jung (Yonsei University).

This conference is co-organised with International Tribunal of the Law of the Sea and The Korean Society of International Law. For more information on the conference: https://www.icls.or.kr:43722/main/index.php

CIL Director Nilüfer Oral was invited to speak at the 2020 Seoul Academy of International Law Lectures. Dr Oral delivered an online lecture on the law of the sea.

CIL Director Nilüfer Oral spoke on the panel on climate change and the law of the sea, at the American Bar International Law Association (ABILA) International Law Weekend. The panel explored how international law, especially the law of the sea, should account for sea-level rise, including regarding issues such as baselines and maritime entitlements, status of features, protection of the marine environment, and statehood of low-lying States and the rights of their nationals.

The panel was moderated by Aimee-Jane Lee from Debevoise & Plimpton LLP. Other speakers on the panel were Professor David Freestone from George Washington University, Ms Nicola Swan from Chapman Tripp, and Ambassador Nguyễn Hồng Thao from the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam.

On 1 October 2020, CIL Director Nilüfer Oral delivered an online lecture on sea-level rise and the law of the sea at the annual ITLOS-Nippon Capacity-Building and Training Programme. The programme helped participants, who were junior to mid-level government officials and researchers from mainly developing countries, to develop their legal skills and deepen their practical knowledge of dispute settlement in the law of the sea under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

On 6 August 2020, the Embassy of Vietnam in Singapore held a ceremony to officially present the decision of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Vietnam to nominate Emeritus Professor Robert Beckman, Head of Ocean Law and Policy of CIL, as an Arbitrator under Annex VII of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Her Excellency Tao Thi Thanh Huong, Ambassador Plenipotentiary and Extraordinary of Vietnam to Singapore, along with all Heads of Section of the Embassy, attended the event.

At the ceremony, Ambassador Huong presented the decision to Professor Beckman, emphasising that this is the first time in history that Vietnam has nominated a foreign national to this important position. This proves not only the recognition of the knowledge and experience of the nominee but also his impartiality to and support of the peaceful resolution of disputes based on international law.

Senior Research Fellows Youna Lyons and Tara Davenport participated in a workshop on Informal-Law Making in the Law of the Sea organised by Professor Natalie Klein at the University of New South Wales from 9 to 10 December 2019 in Sydney, Australia. The workshop is part of a long-term research project on informal law-making and law of the sea led by Professor Klein under an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship Grant. Ms Lyons presented on ‘IMO Measures to Limit Impact from International Shipping’ and Dr Davenport presented on ‘Formal and Informal Lawmaking by the International Seabed Authority’.

CIL researchers Tara Davenport, Millicent McCreath and Christine Sim recently participated in the International Law Association Biennial Conference in Sydney. CIL organised a panel on ‘The Inherent Changeability of the Due Diligence Principle: Challenges for the Development of International Environmental Law’, which was chaired by Professor Rosemary Rayfuse.

Ms Tara Davenport spoke on this panel on ‘The Inherently Changeable Due Diligence Principle and the Protection of the Marine Environment’. Other speakers on this panel were Justice Nicola Pain of the Land and Environment Court of NSW, Dr Aline Jaeckel from Macquarie University and Professor Marie-Claire Cordonier Segger of the University of Waterloo/ University of Cambridge.

Ms Millicent McCreath was a speaker on the panel on ‘The Tide of Change: New Responses to Environmental Challenges in the Pacific Ocean’, organised by the Australian and New Zealand Society of International Law. The topic of her presentation was ‘PSIDS Request for an ITLOS Advisory Opinion on the Content of UNCLOS Climate Change Obligations’.

Ms Christine Sim spoke on a panel on ‘Investment Disputes and Challenging Boundary Issues over Land and Sea’. Her topic was ‘Investment Disputes in Areas of Uncertain Sea Boundaries: Ghana/Cote d’Ivoire’.  

Senior Research Fellow Youna Lyons was a lecturer in the 23rd Session of the Rhodes Academy, an annual three-week course on principles of contemporary oceans law and policy. Ms Lyons lectured on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), international law, and the protection and preservation of the marine environment. Her presentation slides are available here.

CIL Director, Professor Lucy Reed, represented the Centre and spoke at the inaugural colloquium on International Law of the Asian Academy of International Law (AAIL) in Hong Kong on 7-8 July 2017. The theme of the colloquium was ‘Common Future in Asia’, with panels on ‘One Country Two Systems: Interaction with International Law’, ‘Investment Collaboration: Opportunities and Challenges for Asia’, and ‘Interpretation of Treaties and UNCLOS: The Regime of Islands, Rocks and Offshore Archipelagos’. The welcome and keynote speakers included the new Hong Kong Chief Executive Mrs Carrie Lam, GBM, GBS; Mr Rimsky Yuen, GBM, SC, JP, Secretary for Justice of Hong Kong; Professor Teresa Cheng SC, Chairman of the AAIL; Dr Li Shishi, President of the Chinese Society of International Law; Professor Zhang Yuejiao, Former WTO Appellate Body Member and Chair; Mr Liu Zhenmin, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of China (by video); and Mr Xie Zhenhua, Special Representative for Climate Change Affairs of China.

CIL Director Robert Beckman made a presentation in Jakarta, Indonesia on 17 March 2016 entitled ‘The Philippines v China Case and the South China Sea Disputes’. The one-day forum was organised by the Center for Southeast Asian Studies (CSEAS) in collaboration with The Netherlands Embassy in Jakarta, and was entitled ‘ASEAN Dialogue on International Law: Strengthening the Rule of Law in the Region on International Law of the Sea’. For Prof Beckman’s presentation, click here.

Professor Robert Beckman, Head of CIL’s Ocean Law and Policy Programme, participated in the 8th South China Sea International Conference organised by the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam, which was held on 14-15 November 2016 in Nha Trang, Viet Nam. Professor Beckman chaired a panel session on ‘Mechanisms for Managing South China Sea Tensions’ and made a presentation in the panel session on The Arbitral Award and Legal Implications for the Claims of Parties in the South China Sea. His presentation was entitled ‘The New Status Quo and Prospects for Cooperation in the South China Sea’. To see his PowerPoint presentation, click here.

Professor Robert Beckman, Head of CIL’s Ocean Law and Policy Programme and Ms Youna Lyons, Senior Research Fellow participated in the Asian International Symposium 2016: The Contemporary Maritime Security Issues in Asian Region in Jakarta, Indonesia on 21-22 August 2016. The Conference was organised by the Center for Southeast Asian Studies (CSEAS) Indonesia. Professor Beckman chaired a panel session on The Role of UNCLOS and its Dispute Settlement Regime, and Ms Lyons made a presentation in the panel session on Marine Environmental Protection for Sustainability. For a copy of her PowerPoint Presentation, click here.

CIL Senior Research Fellow Dr. Hao Duy Phan was invited to speak at the International Workshop on “Legal Status of Islands and Rocks in International Law and Practice in the South China Sea” on 17-18 August 2016 in Nha Trang, Vietnam. The Workshop was co-organized by Nha Trang University and Pham Van Dong University. Hao Duy Phan delivered a presentation on “The Philippines v. China Arbitration: The Bindingness of the Award and Its Significance”. To download Hao Duy Phan’s PowerPoint Presentation, click here.

On 27-28 June 2016, CIL actively participated in the 40th Annual Conference of the Center for Oceans Law and Policy of the University of Virginia that was held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. CIL Director Professor Robert Beckman made a presentation in Panel 3 on the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. The title of his presentation was ‘Maritime Boundary Disputes and Compulsory Third Party Dispute Settlement Mechanisms: Unresolved Issues’. For Professor Beckman’s presentation, please click here. CIL Visiting Senior Principal Research Fellow Captain Ashley Roach made a presentation in Panel 1 entitled ‘Update on the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Negotiations’. To download Captain Roach’s presentation, please click here. In addition, Ms Rena Lee of the Attorney-General Chamber’s, Singapore made a presentation in Panel 2 entitled ‘Exploration and Exploitation of Ocean Mineral Resources: the Role of Sponsoring States’.

CIL Director Professor Robert Beckman was invited to participate in the EU-DAV High-Level Workshop: Maritime Security and Development: International Cooperation and European – Asian Experience Sharing, which was held on 8-9 June 2016 in Ha Long, Vietnam. The Workshop was jointly organised by the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam and the European Union. Prof Beckman was unable to attend, but his PowerPoint presentation was distributed to participants and presented by another speaker. His presentation was entitled ‘UNCLOS Dispute Settlement Regime & Philippines v China Arbitration’. He has submitted a draft paper to the organisers on the same topic. To view the draft paper, click here.

CIL Senior Research Fellow Dr. Hao Duy Phan was invited to speak at an international conference on ‘Maritime Boundaries and the Law of the Sea’ on 19 May 2016 in Dili, Timor-Leste. Hao Duy Phan delivered a presentation on ‘UNCLOS Dispute Settlement Mechanisms and the Timor Sea’. The Conference was organised by the Government of Timor-Leste. More than 500 international and local participants attended the Conference. To download Hao Duy Phan’s presentation, click here.

CIL Director Robert Beckman participated in a conference hosted by the National Institute for South China Sea Studies (NISCSS) in Hainan, China from 17-19 January 2016. The conference was the Second Conference on the Partnership for Regional Peace: Operationalising ASEAN-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in Southeast Asia under a project headed by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Indonesia and the NISCSS to try to find a resolution to the issues in the South China Sea. Prof Beckman served as the Co-Chair of the Working Group on Legal Principles, one of four working groups established under the project.

CIL Senior Non-Resident Fellow, retired Navy Captain J. Ashley Roach addressed the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) on Regional Confidence Building and the Law of the Sea, which was held in Tokyo, Japan on 4 December 2015, and convened by the Division of Maritime Security of the Japanese Foreign Ministry. The seminar was co-chaired by Japan, Vietnam and India. Captain Roach suggested that the ARF members review carefully the Award on the Merits in the Philippine-PRC arbitration expected by mid-June 2016, and the Final Report of the International Law Association’s (ILA) Committee on Baselines under the International Law of the Sea (chaired by Captain Roach) expected to be adopted at the ILA’s biennial conference in August 2016. He suggested the documents be reviewed in light of the ARF members’ maritime claims that are inconsistent with the Law of the Sea Convention.

CIL Director Robert Beckman and CIL Research Fellow Leonardo Bernard participated at the 2015 ILA – ASIL Asia-Pacific Research Forum on 25-26 May 2015 in Taipei, Taiwan. The Research Forum was organised by the Chinese (Taiwan) Society of International Law – Chinese (Taiwan) Branch of the International Law Association, in cooperation with the American Society of International Law and Research Center for International Legal Studies, National Chengchi University. Prof Beckman was part of the panel on Law of the Sea: South China Sea, where he presented on the Philippines v China Case and Maritime Disputes in the South China Sea. To download Prof Beckman’s paper, click here. To download his presentation in PDF format, click here.

CIL Director Robert Beckman presented a paper at the 2nd Conference on the South China Sea at Nanjing University in Nanjing, China on 24-25 April 2015. The Conference was jointly organised by the Centre on Asia and Globalisation of Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, NUS, and the Collaborative Innovation Centre for South China Sea Studies, Nanjing University. Professor Beckman’s paper was entitled “International Law and China’s Reclamation Works in the South China Sea”. For a copy of the draft paper, click here. For a copy of the PowerPoint Presentation, click here.

CIL Research Fellow Leonardo Bernard participated in the International Seminar on Maritime Security in East Asia, held in Jakarta, Indonesia on 17 March 2015. The seminar was organised by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, Jakarta. Leo was part of the panel on Managing Disputes: East China Sea, where he presented the legal perspective on the ongoing disputes in the East China Sea. To access his presentation, click here.

CIL Senior Research Fellow Dr Hao Duy Phan, CIL Research Fellows Leonardo Bernard and Junianto James Losari and CIL Research Associate Harpreet Kaur Dhillon participated in the World Congress on International Law, held in New Delhi, India, from 9 to 11 January 2015. Organised by the Indian Society of International Law, the programme covered a wide range of areas in international law and practice. CIL researchers were invited to speak on panels addressing the law of the sea and international investment, trade and dispute resolution. To download their presentations, click here.

CIL Director Robert Beckman gave a presentation at a Conference on ‘Energy Security in Southeast Asia: Implications and Concerns’. The conference was organised by the NUS Energy Studies Institute and held at the Carlton Hotel in Singapore. Professor Beckman participated in the panel on Maritime Disputes and Tensions in Southeast Asia. The title of his presentation was International Law and the South China Sea Disputes.

CIL Director Robert Beckman gave two lectures at the Ministry of National Defence of Viet Nam in Ha Noi on 23 October 2014. He was received by Deputy Minister of Defence and Navy Command Admiral Nguyen Van Hien. He also delivered a presentation at the Diplomatic Academy of Viet Nam on 24 October 2014. The lectures were on UNCLOS and the South China Sea.

CIL Director Robert Beckman and CIL Research Fellow Leonardo Bernard participated in the Workshop on the Future of the Seas in East Asia, held in Jakarta, Indonesia on 5-6 October 2014. The Workshop was organised by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, Jakarta. Professor Beckman was part of the panel on ‘Addressing the Challenges: Managing Disputes’, where he presented the legal perspective of the disputes in the East and South China Sea. To access his presentation, click here.

CIL Director Robert Beckman participated in the ‘International Symposium on the Philippines v. China Arbitration Case: The Efficacy of the Annex VII Tribunal in Resolving Complex Territorial/Maritime Disputes’ from 21-22 August 2014 in Beijing, China. The Symposium was organised by the National Institute for South China Sea Studies in cooperation with the China Center for Collaborative Studies of the South China Sea. He presented a paper on ‘Offshore Geographic Features and their Significance to Sovereignty and Maritime Claims’. For his paper, click here. For his presentation, click here.

CIL Director Professor Robert Beckman and CIL Senior Research Fellow Dr. Hao Duy Phan were invited to participate in the Conference on ‘Legal Issues regarding China’s Placement of the Oil Rig Haiyang Shiyou 981 in Viet Nam’s Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf’ in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam. The Conference was organised jointly by the Ho Chi Minh City University of Law and the Viet Nam Lawyers Association. Professor Beckman made a presentation on the Dispute Settlement regime under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and Implications for the Disputes between Viet Nam and China. To download Professor Beckman’s presentation, click here.

CIL Director Robert Beckman and CIL Global Associate Captain J. Ashley Roach participated in the 38^th Annual Conference of the Center for Oceans Law and Policy (COLP) of the University of Virginia in Bergen, Norway. The title of the Conference was ‘Challenges of the Changing Arctic: Continental Shelf, Navigation, and Fisheries’. Professor Beckman made a presentation entitled ‘Arctic Legal Issues and the UNCLOS Dispute Settlement Regime’. For a copy of his presentation, please click here. Captain Roach made a presentation at the Conference entitled ‘Arctic Navigation: Recent Developments’. For a copy of his presentation, please click here. While in Bergen, Professor Beckman also attended a formal meeting of the Board of Directors of the Rhodes Academy of Oceans Law and Policy and met with professors from the K.G. Jebsen Centre for the Law of the Sea at the University of Tromso in Norway.

CIL Research Associate Zhen Sun participated in the Second Asia Pacific Ocean Law Institutions Alliance (APOLIA) Conference, ‘After 20 Years of Implementation of UNCLOS by Asian Pacific States’, from 20-21 June 2014. The Conference was organised by the Centre for Ocean Law and Governance, Zhejiang University and the Korea Maritime Institute. Zhen delivered a presentation on Singapore’s implementation of UNCLOS, where she addressed the issues of Singapore’s international boundaries with its neighbouring countries and Singapore’s practice regarding IMO conventions. She also participated as a discussant at the International Symposium on ‘Sustainable Development and the Law of the Sea’ from 22-23 June 2014.

CIL Director Robert Beckman gave a lecture on the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea at the Regional MARSEC Conference organised by Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) from 2-6 June 2014.

CIL Director Robert Beckman and Captain Roach served as academic experts at the 2nd ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Seminar on UNCLOS, which was co-organised by Australia and the Philippines. Professor Beckman made presentations on “Rights and Responsibilities of States on the High Seas and in the Exclusive Economic Zone” (download in PDF) and on “Legal Framework for Joint Development in the South China Sea” (download in PDF). Captain Roach made presentations on “Freedom of Navigation and Overflight” (download in PDF) and on “ITLOS Provisional Measures and Prompt Release” (download in PDF).

CIL Director Robert Beckman and Captain Roach served as experts in the Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia Pacific (CSCAP) Workshop on UNCLOS and Maritime Security in East Asia, which was organised by US CSCAP and CSCAP Philippines. Professor Beckman made a presentation on “UNCLOS and Protection and Preservation of the Marine Environment” (download in PDF). Captain Roach made a presentation on “UNCLOS and Freedom of Navigation” (download in PDF).

CIL Research Fellow Leonardo Bernard participated in the South China Sea Panel: Current Disputes and Possible Future Outcomes of the Multi-Dimensional Conflict, held at the Asian Civilization Museum, Singapore on 26 May 2014. The Panel was organized by Singapore’s American Chamber of Commerce. Leo joined the panel where he addressed legal issues associated with current state of disputes in the South China Sea.

CIL Director Robert Beckman participated in the Norway-Singapore Arctic Symposium at the Riverview Hotel on 14 March 2014. The symposium was organised by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), the Norwegian Embassy and the Singapore Maritime Institute (SMI). The keynote speaker was Else Berit Eikeland, Norway’s senior Arctic official in the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Prof Beckman made a presentation on “UNCLOS and Prevention of Pollution in the Arctic”. For a copy of his presentation, click here.

On 5 April 2013 CIL research staff had a roundtable discussion on the South China Sea Disputes with research staff of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) at their offices in Washington. The CIL delegation included CIL Director Robert Beckman, CIL researchers Tara Davenport and Leo Bernard, and Ambassador Arif Havas Oegroseno of Indonesia, a member of CIL International Advisory Panel. Prof Beckman began the discussion with a brief presentation, and it was followed by a general discussion. The CIL researchers were in Washington DC to attend the Annual Meeting of the American Society of International Law. The roundtable discussion was arranged by Murray Hiebert, Deputy Director and Senior Fellow in the Southeast Asia Program at CSIS.

CIL Director Robert Beckman made a presentation titled “Role of ASEAN and the Philippines v China Case” on 4 April 2013 at the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Society of International Law in Washington DC. Prof Beckman served on a Panel on Legal Solutions to Maritime Disputes in Asia, and he spoke about the South China Sea Disputes. The other members of the panel were Rosalyn Higgins, past President of the International Court of Justice; Loretta Malintoppi, Eversheds LLP Paris; and Galo Carrera Hurtado, Member of the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf. The Panel was chaired by Prof Nilufer Oral of the Faculty of Law of Istanbul Bilgi University. For a copy of Prof Beckman’s PowerPoint slides in PDF format, click here.

CIL Director Robert Beckman participated in the Five Universities Conference 2013 organised by the LKY School of Public Policy. He made a presentation on ‘Dispute Settlement Mechanisms and the South China Sea Disputes’.

CIL Director Robert Beckman participated in a conference organised by the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, Haikou, Hainan, China. The title of the conference was ‘The South China Sea: UNCLOS and State Practice’. Prof Beckman presented a paper entitled ‘The UNCLOS Dispute Settlement System’. For a copy of his presentation, click here. For a copy of his draft paper, click here.

CIL Director Robert Beckman and CIL Senior Research Fellow Youna Lyons took part at Pacem in Maribus XXXIV in Bangkok, on 5-8 September 2013. Professor Beckman co-chaired the theme 2 of the conference on the implementation of UNCLOS in Southeast Asia and Youna Lyons was co-rapporteur for this theme.

CIL Director Robert Beckman participated in the ‘CIL Roundtable on the South China Sea Disputes’. The Roundtable was held at the Orchard Hotel, Singapore. Prof Beckman presented a paper on ‘The UNCLOS Dispute Settlement Regime’. CIL Research Fellows Tara Davenport and Leonardo Bernard played a major role in organising the Roundtable, while CIL Research Fellow Hao Duy Phan and CIL Research Associate Monique Page served as rapporteurs. For more information on the Roundtable, please click here.

CIL Director Robert Beckman and CIL Research Fellow Leonardo Bernard participated at the International Symposium on Peaceful Use of the Sea and Maritime on 22-23 June 2013 in Hangzhou, China. The Conference was organized by Centre for Ocean Law and Governance at Guanghua Law School, Zhengjian University. Prof Beckman and Leo joined the third panel on peaceful means for maritime dispute settlement together with Dustin Kuan-Hsiung Wang from national Taiwan Normal University and Anne Hsiu-An Hsiao from National Chengchi University, Taiwan. Prof Beckman presented a paper on “Framework and Issues for Joint Development of Hydrocarbon Resources”. To download the draft conference paper, click here; and to download the PowerPoint slides, click here.

CIL Director Robert Beckman attended the London International Boundary Conference at the Royal Geographic Society in London from 18-19 April 2013. The Conference was organized by the UK Hydrographic Office, Volterra Fietta and King’s College London and was held at the Royal Geographic Society. Prof Beckman spoke on a panel on the South China Sea and presented on the topic of “The Philippines v China Case and the South China Sea Disputes”. For a copy of his PowerPoint Slides in PDF format, click here.

CIL Director Robert Beckman presented a paper entitled “The Philippines v. China Case and the South China Sea Disputes” at a Conference on the South China Sea at the Asia Society in New York from 13-15 March 2015. The Conference was co-organized by the LKY School of Public Policy. To download Prof Beckman’s paper, click here. To download his PowerPoint presentation in PDF format, click here.

CIL Chairman Prof Tommy Koh presented a paper on the topic of “Asia and UNCLOS: Progress, Practice and Problems” (download in PDF format) at the 2012 Yeosu International Conference Commemorating the 30th Anniversary of the Opening for Signature of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, Yeosu EXPO, Republic of Korea.

CIL Chairman Prof Tommy Koh delivered a speech to the UN General Assembly to mark the 30th anniversary of the adoption of UNCLOS. To download it in PDF, click here.

CIL Research Associate Leonardo Bernard participated in the International Conference for the 30th Anniversary of UNCLOS with the theme “China and the Law of the Sea” from 22-24 November 2012 at Qingdao, China. Leo delivered a presentation titled “Effect of Islands on Maritime Delimitation: A Look at the Recent Judgments of ITLOS and ICJ”. The Conference was hosted by the Ocean University of China. To download the presentation in PDF format, click here. To download his paper on “The Role of Islands on Maritime Boundaries Delimitation: A Look at the Recent Decision of ITLOS”, click here.

CIL Research Associate Leonardo Bernard participated in the International Malaysia Law Conference with the theme “Asian Perspective, Global Viewpoints” from 26-28 September 2012 at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, Malaysia. Leo presented a presentation titled “UNCLOS & the Legal Claims in the South China Sea”. The Conference was hosted by the Bar Council Malaysia. For the PowerPoint presentation, click here.

CIL Patron Prof S Jayakumar, CIL Director Robert Beckman and CIL Senior Research Fellow Youna Lyons participated in the 36th Annual Conference of the Center for Oceans Law and Policy (COLP) In Halifax, Nova Scotia, from 21-22 June 2012. Prof S Jayakumar delivered the Opening Address at the Conference with a paper entitled “The Continental Shelf Regime under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea: Reflections after Thirty Years”. CIL sponsored a panel at the Conference on the Decommissioning of Offshore Installations and Structures. Prof Beckman made a presentation on the “Global Legal Regime on the Decommissioning of Offshore Installations and Structures” (download PowerPoint presentation in PDF format; download Working Paper in PDF format) and Youna Lyons made a presentation on “Abandoned Offshore Installations in Southeast Asia and the Opportunity for ‘Rigs-to-Reefs'” (download in PDF format). For more information, click here.

CIL Director Robert Beckman made a presentation to government officials in Brunei Darussalam on 26 January 2012 at the Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Institute for Defence and Strategic Studies (SHHBIDSS). Prof Beckman’s presentation was on “UNCLOS Dispute Settlement Mechanisms and the South China Sea”. His presentation was followed by a question and answer session. Prof Beckman was invited by SHHBIDSS as a Distinguished Speaker in its Southeast Asia Security Roundtable Series IV. The SHHBIDSS was established in 2007 and is within the Ministry of Defence.

The Maritime Institute of Malaysia (MIMA) organized a Conference on the South China Sea: Recent Developments and Implications Towards Peaceful Dispute Resolution on 12 to 13 December 2011 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. CIL Director Robert Beckman presented his paper on “The UNCLOS Dispute Settlement Mechanisms and the South China Sea Disputes” in Session 3 on “The Way Forward: Options and Their Implications.” To download his paper in PDF format, click here. To download his PowerPoint presentation in PDF format, click here.

CIL Director Robert Beckman and CIL Research Associate Leonardo Bernard participated in the 3rd International Workshop on The South China Sea: Cooperation for Regional Security and Development in Hanoi, Vietnam. The Conference was organized by the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam and Vietnam Lawyers Association. Prof Beckman made a presentation entitled “Disputed Areas in the South China Sea: Prospects for Adjudication or Arbitration”. To download his presentation in PDF format, click here. A paper titled “Disputed Areas in the South China Sea: Prospects for Arbitration or Advisory Opinion” was co-authored by Prof Beckman and Mr Bernard. For a PDF version of the draft paper, click here.

CIL Director Robert Beckman presented a paper in the panel on Law of the Sea at the Third Biennial Conference of the Asian Society of International Law in Being on 26-27 August. Prof Beckman’s paper was on “China, UNCLOS and the South China Sea”. For a copy of the paper, click here. For a copy of the PowerPoint Presentation in PDF format, click here.

CIL Director Robert Beckman held a seminar on “The South China Sea Disputes: Prospects for Adjudication or Arbitration” on 14 June 2011. This seminar was the seventh in a series of invitation-only seminars organized by CIL on the South China Sea disputes. For a copy of the presentation, click here.

CIL Director Robert Beckman participated in an ASEAN Regional Forum Seminar in Manila on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The Seminar was co-chaired by representatives from Australia and the Philippines and was attended by delegates from more than 20 AFR member countries.

CIL Director Robert Beckman taught an intensive course on Law of the Sea in a UNITAR Training Course on Law of the Sea and International Environmental Law for officials from the Myanmar Government in Yangon, Myanmar.

CIL Director Robert Beckman presented a paper entitled “CLCS Submissions and Claims in the South China Sea” (download PDF version) at the Second International Workshop on the South China Sea: Cooperation for Regional Security and Development, 10-12 November 2010 in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam. The paper was co-authored by CIL Research Associate Tara Davenport. To download the PowerPoint presentation in PDF format, click here.

CIL Chairman Prof Tommy Koh delivers a keynote address (download PDF version) at the PEMSEA East Asian Seas Congress 2009, Manila, Philippines.