Lasting Impact and Current Progress through Advisory Opinions, Contentious Cases, and Acceptance of Compulsory Jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice.
An International Law Week roundtable discussion.
Date & Location: 30th of October (Thursday), 2025 at the 8th Floor meeting room, Church Center, 777 UN Plaza (corner 1st ave and 44th St.) 13:15-14:45 (Light refreshments from 12:50)
In-person event. Participation by invite only. Please contact Alyn Ware ware@wfm-igp.org if you would like an invitation. The meeting will be held under Chatham House rules.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) was established as the principal judicial organ of the United Nations to assist in the peaceful resolution of international disputes and to strengthen and uphold the rule of law globally. The authority of the ICJ within the United Nations system, and the unique contribution the ICJ plays with respect to the application of the law, ensures that its decisions exert considerable influence and impact on the parties and other stakeholders in its cases.
In a turbulent world, where diplomacy is facing increasing challenges, UN member States are turning more than ever to the ICJ for advisory opinions on specific questions of international law, and for contentious cases to help resolve disputes between States. Both types of cases are important in building clarity, application of, and accountability to international law. However, the role of the ICJ is limited by the fact that its jurisdiction in contentious cases is based on voluntary acceptance. This is provided by mutual agreement of states in a specific dispute, or reference through a treaty which provides for ICJ jurisdiction on disputes under that treaty, or through declarations by States “recognizing as compulsory ipso facto and without special agreement, in relation to any other State accepting the same obligation, the jurisdiction of the Court” (Art. 36, para. 2, of the Statute). Currently 74 countries have made such declarations.
As a handbook on accepting ICJ jurisdiction produced by Switzerland, the Netherlands, Uruguay, the UK, Lithuania, Japan, and Botswana notes, “Increasing the number of States that accept the Court’s jurisdiction will enable the Court to better reach its full potential in contributing to the peaceful settlement of disputes, to the maintenance of international peace and security as well as to the development of friendly relations among nations on the basis of the rule of law.”
This roundtable will explore the value of advisory opinions and contentious cases, their complementarity and inter-play, why further acceptance of ICJ compulsory jurisdiction leading towards universality is important, and how to address potential concerns in accepting ICJ jurisdiction.
MODERATORS:
Rebecca Shoot. Co-convenor, ImPACT Coalition on Strengthening International Judicial Institutions. Chair, Washington Working Group on the International Criminal Court
Alyn Ware. Program Director, World Federalist Movement-Institute for Global Policy
SPEAKERS:
Judge Bogdan-Lucian Aurescu. Member of the International Court of Justice.
Prof. Dr. Phoebe Okowa. Professor of Public International Law. Member, UN International Law Commission.
Prof. Dr. Charles Jalloh (Sierra Leone). Professor of International Law. Member, UN International Law Commission.
· [additional speakers to be announced soon]
Organized by the World Federalist Movement-Institute for Global Policy, World Future Council and ImPACT Coalition on Strengthening International Judicial Institutions as part of the LAW not War project supported by the Global Challenges Foundation.
Contacts: Alyn Ware ware@wfm-igp.org. +420 773 638 867. Rebecca Shoot rebecca.shoot@gmail.com +1 914 548 0458