HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam’s permanent mission to the United Nations (UN) in New York and Geneva recently sent diplomatic notes to the UN and countries informing them of the candidacy of Ambassador Nguyễn Hồng Thao to the International Law Commission (ILC) for the 2023-27 tenure, marking the start of his campaign for re-election to the important UN body.
In 2016, Ambassador Thao became the first Vietnamese elected as an ILC member. During the 2017-2022 tenure, he has promoted the ILC’s research results, delivered speeches and joined discussions at the ILC.
He has also helped express developing nations’ interest in new and non-traditional topics and joined discussions on topics such as protection of the atmosphere and environmental protection in armed conflicts. Most notably, he strongly supported the ILC’s research on rising seawater levels and the addition of the issue to the committee's long-term working agenda.
With in-depth knowledge about laws on the sea and the environment, he made significant contributions to the first report of the research group on rising sea levels in relation to international law last year.
Apart from valuable professional contributions, Thao also played a role in fostering connections and ties among ILC members to promote exchange between legal researchers and practitioners of international law at home and abroad. He has also spoken at many universities and prestigious seminars in the region. In 2018, he was elected as the second Vice Chairman of the ILC on the occasion of its 70th founding anniversary.
With a dedication to international law, he was nominated for a seat at the ILC for the 2023-2027 tenure, becoming one of the 10 candidates of the Asia-Pacific. The ILC election will take place in New York in November 2021.
Ambassador Thao is a senior Vietnamese diplomat with 40 years of experience. He earned a doctorate degree in law from the University of Paris 1 Pantheon-Sorbonne and teaches international law at the Diplomatic Academy of Việt Nam.
Joining in the ILC offers an opportunity to promote popularisation and application of international laws in Việt Nam and the region, Thao said, describing the laws an important tool for integration and settlement of disputes, contributing to consolidating global and regional peace, security and prosperity. — VNS