By H.E. Mr. François Alabrune, Ambassador of France to the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Permanent Representative to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and International Legal Institutions in The Hague.
The foundation of my vocation and my curiosity regarding the world has been greatly influenced by my parents. My father, who was originally from Central France and the first in his family to pursue higher education, left for Argentina in the early years of his professional career to engage in trade. He later became a diplomat and served in India, Australia, the United States, Haiti, Belgium, and Canada. My mother, who came from Northern France, also worked for the French Ministry for Foreign Affairs, in Belgium and the United Kingdom, before marrying my father. This is why I was born in Halifax, Canada.
Throughout my studies in law and political science, I had the privilege of following the teaching of two prominent Jurisconsults: Gilbert Guillaume and Ronny Abraham, who served as Legal Advisors to the French Ministry for Foreign Affairs and later as Judges at the International Court of Justice. I was fortunate to work with them, particularly when I became Ronny Abraham’s deputy. In the international law advisory activities I conducted over 20 years, particularly as a Legal Advisor to the French Ministry for Foreign Affairs for eight years, their approach to international law, which is rooted in a rigorous analysis of facts and law and a pursuit of clarity, had a significant influence on me. I was also influenced by my collaboration with other distinguished legal scholars, such as Professors Prosper Weil and Alain Pellet.
I also learned a great deal through constant interactions with legal advisors from other countries, as well as during my assignments at the Representation to the European Union in Brussels, at the Mission to the United Nations in New York, and later as Consul General in Quebec, Ambassador to the OSCE in Vienna, and then to the Netherlands. These were all unique opportunities for me to be enriched by other cultures and ways of thinking.
I began my career during a period of significant development in international law. The division of the world into two blocs came to an end, making it possible and necessary to draft numerous multilateral and bilateral treaties. I had the privilege of participating in the negotiations of several treaties, particularly in the domains of arms control, counter-terrorism, law of the sea, and international criminal law.
A memorable experience was undoubtedly the negotiation of the Statute of the International Criminal Court, which started in 1997. Such an institution may have appeared utopian at first. Its development was an extraordinary collective adventure that required the search for original solutions, especially in order to reconcile different legal traditions. Working within the drafting committee of the Rome Conference, under the presidency of the esteemed Egyptian jurist Cheriff Bassiouni, was a truly exceptional experience.
By participating in numerous contentious proceedings before the International Court of Justice, the European Court of Human Rights, the Court of Justice of the European Union, arbitration tribunals, and the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, I have been able to serve as the legal representative of my country, while also cultivating close relationships with the judges. These interactions have enabled me to understand the demands of their roles and the conditions necessary for the proper functioning of the courts.
Having been in The Hague for two years, I maintain my dedication to the advancement of international law. I appear before the International Court of Justice and closely follow its activities. I prepared and presided over part of the work of the third congress of the members of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2024. I also cooperate closely with the International Criminal Court, particularly within the framework of the Assembly of States Parties, and provide ongoing support to the Hague Academy of International Law and other international legal institutions (such as the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals, the Kosovo Specialist Chambers, the Hague Conference on Private International Law, Eurojust, etc).
Being an ambassador in The Hague, the capital of International Law, offers the privilege of daily participation in a legal and diplomatic community of exceptional intellectual and human qualities. I express my gratitude to its members and to the Dutch authorities for their invaluable dedication.
I am greatly honoured to have been selected as a candidate for the forthcoming elections of judges to the International Court of Justice by the French Group of the Permanent Court of Arbitration, chaired by Judge Ronny Abraham, following extensive consultations with the supreme courts, universities, and learned societies in France.
International Law faces considerable challenges, but it holds, particularly through the International Court of Justice, an increasing importance for the unity and survival of the human community. Serving this law, particularly in The Hague, is the honour of my life.
