Viet Nam secures first-ever seat on International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea
VGP - Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Lan Anh, Vice President of the Diplomatic Academy of Viet Nam, was elected as a judge of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) for the 2026–2035 term, becoming the first Vietnamese national to serve on the tribunal since its establishment in 1996.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Lan Anh, Vice President of the Diplomatic Academy of Viet Nam
The election took place on June 18 during the 36th Meeting of States Parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
Nguyen received the highest number of votes among candidates from the Asia-Pacific region and was elected in the first round of voting with strong support from UNCLOS member states.
Her election reflects the international community's confidence in Viet Nam's growing role and stature on the global stage, while marking a significant milestone in the country's multilateral diplomacy and international legal integration.
The outcome also demonstrates Viet Nam's transition from active participation to increasingly substantive contributions to the development, implementation, and enforcement of international law and norms. It underscores the country's commitment and capacity to contribute more effectively to a rules-based international order and global governance.
The result further highlights the positive recognition of Viet Nam's meaningful contributions to United Nations bodies and international legal institutions, particularly in the field of the law of the sea.
For Lan Anh, the successful bid in a highly competitive election is a testament to the international recognition of the expertise, professionalism, and reputation of Vietnamese legal scholars in the field of international law.
As an ITLOS judge, she will perform her duties in accordance with the tribunal's principles of independence and impartiality, contributing to the effective implementation of UNCLOS and the strengthening of the international legal order at sea.
As a country that consistently upholds international law, the UN Charter, and the 1982 UNCLOS, Viet Nam will continue working closely with other member states to promote the full and effective implementation of the Convention, advance maritime cooperation, resolve disputes through peaceful means, and contribute to peace, stability, security, safety, and sustainable development in the world's seas and oceans./.