The election took place on June 18, 2026 during the 36th Meeting of States Parties to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) at United Nations headquarters in New York.

This marks the first time Vietnam has nominated a candidate for and secured representation at ITLOS since the tribunal began operations in 1996.

Nguyen Thi Lan Anh’s election with strong support in the first round of voting shows the international community’s confidence in Vietnam’s position and role, marking a new step in the country’s multilateral diplomacy and international legal integration.

It also signals Vietnam’s shift from active participation to increasingly substantive contributions to the formulation, development and implementation of international norms and shared rules, reaffirming the country’s growing capacity and responsibility in the global governance system based on international rules.

The election result further demonstrates UNCLOS member states’ positive assessment of Vietnam’s increasingly substantive contributions to United Nations bodies and to international law.

For Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Thi Lan Anh, victory in a highly competitive election highlights international recognition of the competence, professional expertise and standing of a Vietnamese expert in international law.

She will carry out her duties as an ITLOS judge in accordance with the principles of independence and impartiality set out in the tribunal’s statute, thereby supporting the effective implementation of UNCLOS and contributing to the strengthening of the legal order at sea.

As a country that consistently upholds respect for international law and supports the United Nations Charter and UNCLOS 1982, Vietnam will continue working with other member states to promote the full and effective implementation of the convention, resolve disputes through peaceful means, boost maritime cooperation, and contribute to maintaining peace, stability, security, safety and sustainable development at sea and in the oceans.

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PM appreciates ITLOS’s role in resolving maritime disputes

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