First of all, I want to thank the American Society of International Law, the Municipality of The Hague, and all of you for this invitation, I am delighted to be part of this great group of panelists speaking here today.

It is an immense honor to be here. But the honor is special indeed; because it was around this time seventy-four years ago—more precisely on April 13, 1945—that Robert H. Jackson (as an associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court) addressed this same gathering, in a classic speech titled “Rule of Law Among Nations.”

In evaluating the investor state dispute settlement (ISDS) system, and the numerous reform proposals circulating, it is worth remembering that the entire history of ISDS is quite recent. Almost all concluded cases have been decided in the last fifteen years. And even within the last ten years, there have been notable changes in the types of cases that are brought, the size of damages both claimed and awarded, and tribunals’ interpretations of key provisions. So current discussions about reform are a timely and appropriate stock-taking of the ISDS mechanism, and whether its use has met the aims and objectives of the system, and with which outcomes and impacts.

I would like to preface my commentary with two remarks. First, I commend ASIL, the International Courts and Tribunals Interest Group, and other co-sponsors for organizing this important roundtable on valuing women in international law. Second, I thank Nienke Grossman for inviting me to be part of this discussion to bring in the perspective of women from across the continent of Africa. This proves that Grossman's work on gender diversity recognizes intragroup diversity—that women are one, yet also different and bring different ingredients to the making of international law and international adjudication.