Edwin Tong on 8-day visit to New York for International Law Week, ICJ elections
Minister for Law Edwin Tong is on an eight-day official visit to New York till Nov 4 as part of efforts to reaffirm Singapore's commitment to international law and strengthen legal partnerships, the Ministry of Law said on Wednesday (Oct 28).Tong's visit coincides with the International Law Week and the International Court of Justice (ICJ) elections.International Law Week is an annual series of high-level legal and diplomatic events that spotlights the vital role of international law in promoting peace, security, accountability and cooperation among states.Singapore's leaders have often reiterated the importance of international law.The law minister himself explained this at the fourth International Law Association Singapore Symposium on Oct 20: "(International law) establishes obligations that cannot simply be dismissed because one party is stronger or bigger than the other. "It provides a basis on which smaller states can articulate their rights, defend their interests and work with others."