International lectures given by Dapo Akande

On April 22, Dapo Akande delivered the inaugural Thornberry Lecture in International Law and Human Rights at the University of Keele and on the topic: “The Application of Human Rights Law in Time of Armed Conflict”. The Thornberry Lecture in International Law and Human Rights is an annual lecture established in 2015 by the Keele Law School and the School of Politics, International Relations and Philosophy in honour of Patrick Thornberry CMG – Emeritus Professor of International Law at Keele. From 2001-2014, Professor Thornberry was a member of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD), and acted as Rapporteur of that Committee from 2002-2008. In 2006, he was awarded a CMG – Companion of St Michael and St George – for services to international human rights, on the nomination of the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.

In May, Dapo Akande addressed a workshop for Asian government officials with respect to the maritime disputes in the South China Seas between China and several South East Asian countries. The meeting was convened in Manila, Philippines, by the Association of South East-Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China to discuss the implementation of the ASEAN-China Declaration on the Conduct of the Parties in the South China Seas.

In June, Dapo Akande was invited to speak at the UK Army Legal Services Annual Conference on the legal basis for detention in non-international armed conflict. In the same week, he also gave the opening talk on the “Sources of International Law” at the UK Government Legal Department’s inaugural training course on international law. The course, organised by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the GLD, was attended by government lawyers from across Whitehall.