The Qatar International Court and Dispute Resolution Centre (QICDRC) held a panel discussion titled “The Role of International Law in Resolving Territorial Disputes” at the Doha Forum, which concluded Monday.
During this discussion, the panelists emphasised the significance of international law in safeguarding peace, international relations, and security.
This year's Doha Forum highlighted critical topics related to international relations and security, economic policy and development, cyber security, data privacy, artificial intelligence, and sustainability.
Chaired by Lord Thomas, president of the QICDRC and former chief justice of England and Wales, the panel comprised international experts including Bart Magunda Katureebe, former Minister of Justice and chief justice of Uganda; Dominic Grieve, barrister and former attorney general of England and Wales; and Dr. Dalia Fahmy, Professor of Political Science and Director of International Relations and Diplomacy at Long Island University.
“The rule of law is as important in international relations as it is within a state. The discussions shared today emphasised what must be done to adhere to the peaceful settlement of disputes through judication, arbitration, and mediation,” said Lord Thomas.
"Many countries, including Uganda, have signed the Rome Statute. We must subject people to the same rules; indeed, African states have commented on the International Criminal Court, highlighting its focus on prosecuting Africans. We need to apply the law equally, whether in international courts, regional courts, or national courts. However, the immediate question is: How can we avoid reaching this point and resolve the issues peacefully," Katureebe said.
Grieve said "we have certainly been striving to make progress in holding individuals accountable for violations of international humanitarian law before the International Criminal Court."
The principles of self-defense, proportionality, and necessity are inevitably quite challenging to establish. We lack a supreme world tribunal to address such issues; it's a political game, a play between the powerful and the weak, according to him.
By upholding principles such as non-aggression, judicial adjudication, and arbitration, international laws provide states with peaceful avenues to resolve differences, ensuring accountability for those who defy these laws in the International Criminal Court, which is responsible for the investigating and, when necessary, prosecuting individuals charged with grave crimes against humanity, Fahmy said.
"Disregard for international humanitarian law scars our collective consciousness,” she said.
QICDRC's active participation in the Doha Forum reinforces its commitment to collaborate with global leaders and policymakers. This ongoing engagement aims to identify solutions that uphold the rule of law and enhance public trust in the legal, regulatory, and judicial systems.
Lord Thomas and other panelists at the Doha Forum 2023
