Professor Verónica Ruiz Abou-Nigm appointed to the Permanent Court of Arbitration
Thu 20 June 2024

Professor Verónica Ruiz Abou-Nigm, Chair of Private International Law at Edinburgh Law School, has been appointed as a Member of the Court of the Permanent Court of Arbitration at the Hague. This is a prestigious appointment in recognition of her expertise in international law. Members of the Court form a panel of potential arbitrators and national groups are entitled to nominate candidates for election to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the Nobel Peace Prize.
About this appointment, Professor Ruiz Abou-Nigm said: “I am honoured and humbled to become a Member of the Court of the PCA in times where the resolution of international disputes through arbitration and other means of alternative dispute resolution is pivotal to confront global challenges.”
From 12-14 June 2024, Professor Ruiz Abou-Nigm was at the Hague as the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) gathered for the third-ever Congress of the Members of the Court; the last two gatherings took place in 1993 and 1999, respectively. Celebrating the institution’s 125th anniversary, the Congress, under the theme ‘A Court fit for its Time: Pursuing the Evolution of the Permanent Court of Arbitration for the Fulfilment of its Promise’ provided a fruitful opportunity to reflect about the contributions of the PCA to peaceful resolution of disputes and to project it to the future.
At this Congress, participating parties discussed the PCA’s evolution and prominent status, along with its future role in international dispute resolution. On attending this historic Congress, Professor Ruiz Abou-Nigm added: “It was a great occasion where we met fellow Members of the Court from around the world. I am very grateful to the fantastic team of the International Bureau, and to the Administrative Council, for the opportunity to discuss the role of the PCA and how to harness the potential of the Court going forward. I am also very grateful to the GRULAC regional group for the opportunity to participate as panellist on the contribution of Latin American countries to the development of international dispute resolution mechanisms.”
Professor Abou-Nigm’s latest achievement at the PCA was also featured in the Uruguayan national newspaper El País, which adds that Professor Ruiz Abou-Nigm joins the national group that represents Uruguay which further consists of Drs. Carlos Mata, Alejandro Pastori, and Marcos Dotta.
The Congress was only open to the Members of the Court and Legal Advisers of the Contracting Parties, but the papers of the Congress will be published in the year to come to help contribute in the development of international law.