IMF Administrative Tribunal: Reports on the 30th Anniversary Conference

November 19, 2025

The 30^th Anniversary Conference of the Administrative Tribunal of the International Monetary Fund (IMFAT) was held on November 19, 2025, in Washington, DC.

More than 200 distinguished guests from the international law world, including judges, registrars, practitioners and academics participated in the Conference, debating the Conference theme: International Administrative Law in Changing and Challenging Times.

The conference program featured opening remarks, three panel discussions by renowned international administrative law experts from North America, Latin America, Africa, Europe, the MENA region, and Asia.

Panel 1 focused on the sources of international administrative law, including the law applied by international administrative tribunals (IATs), administrative practice as a source of international administrative law (IAL), precedent and IATs, and the International Law Commission’s work on the settlement of disputes to which international organizations are parties. Panel 2 explored recent developments in international administrative law, including developments and possible reforms concerning the jurisdiction of IATs as well as reliance on human rights law in IAL litigation. Panel 3 addressed immunities of international organizations, the independence of IATs, and the selection of IAT members. The panels and discussions concluded with Closing Remarks and a social hour.

Introducing the conference, Judge Nassib G. Ziadé, President of the IMF Administrative Tribunal, placed the Tribunal’s 30th anniversary conference within a wider tradition of tribunal anniversary gatherings that promote exchange, cooperation, and the cross-fertilization of ideas between all IAL actors. He also welcomed the participation and support of the American Society of International Law (ASIL) and the Société française pour le droit international. Judge Ziadé emphasized the broad harmonization of principles in the IAL jurisprudence, while recognizing the need to respect each institution’s statutory framework and operational context. Judge Ziadé also observed that the proliferation of administrative tribunals has not produced the feared jurisprudential fragmentation, thanks to shared principles, experienced judges, and careful comparative referencing. He recalled IMFAT’s institutional history, acknowledged the contributions of past and present judges, registrars, General Counsels, and the Staff Association, and highlighted recent improvements in transparency and accessibility. He concluded by reaffirming the IMFAT’s role in strengthening the Fund’s mission, protecting individual rights, ensuring due process, and contributing to the broader development of international administrative justice.

Mélida Hodgson, President of the American Society of International Law (ASIL), expressed ASIL’s appreciation to be participating in IMFAT’s 30th anniversary and situated ASIL’s involvement within its longstanding mission to advance international law through scholarship, dialogue, and convening. Ms. Hodgson emphasized ASIL’s role as a forum for exploring the responsibility of international organizations and noted that the IMFAT exemplifies judicial accountability by ensuring fairness, good faith, and due process in staff matters. She observed that international administrative tribunals often receive scant attention in legal education and scholarship, notwithstanding their importance to the architecture of the international rule of law. Recognizing the role of IATs broadens professional dialogue and promotes a better understanding of law operating beyond sovereign states. Ms. Hodgson highlighted the close partnership between ASIL and the IMFAT, recalling earlier anniversary collaboration and noting the personal and institutional links between ASIL leaders and members of the Tribunal. She concluded that, in a period of renewed challenges to international law and the rule of law, the IMFAT’s independence, jurisprudence, and procedural safeguards contribute meaningfully to accountability, fairness, and the legitimacy of international institutions.

Nicola Bonucci, Vice-President of the Société française pour le droit international (French Society of International Law or SFDI), congratulated the IMFAT on its 30^th anniversary and noted the SFDI’s longstanding interest in international organizations and international administrative law and its regular organization of, and participation in, events on these topics. Drawing on his own experience before international administrative tribunals, Mr. Bonucci emphasized their professionalism and the importance of collaboration among international law institutions in challenging times. He recalled historical debates on the independence of international civil servants and stressed that administrative tribunals help safeguard the autonomy and legitimacy of international organizations. He identified the balance between organizational immunity and individual access to justice as a central contemporary challenge, illustrated by current litigation involving the European Space Agency before the French courts. Mr. Bonucci concluded by underscoring the tribunals’ role in protecting the integrity of international organizations, in particular in the event of staff misconduct allegations, and in making justice effective, transparent and fair.

Dr. Olufemi Elias, Judge ad hoc at the International Court of Justice, President of the OPEC Fund Administrative Tribunal, and Chairman of the Administrative Tribunal of the Islamic Development Bank, congratulated the IMFAT on its 30th anniversary. Dr. Elias addressed the complex relationship between international administrative law and public international law, suggesting that international administrative law is best classified and understood as a specialized branch of public international law. He emphasized the treaty foundations of international administrative law, relying in particular on ICJ advisory opinions recognizing the legality and necessity of administrative tribunals within international organizations. Dr. Elias illustrated the close operational relationship between public international law and international administrative law by reference to tribunal case law involving general principles, treaties, customary international law, human rights instruments, and rules of treaty interpretation. He concluded that doctrinal debates over classification have not impeded adjudication, and that the IMFAT’s anniversary marks an important stage in the continuing development of international administrative law and its relationship with public international law.

A report on the opening remarks is available here.

The introductory remarks were followed by Session 1 of the conference, which focused on the sources of international administrative law. The session was moderated by Professor John R. Crook, International Arbitrator and former Judge at the NATO Administrative Tribunal (NATOAT). The speakers were Judge Maria Vicien Milburn, Judge at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development Administrative Tribunal (EBRDAT), the Inter-American Development Bank Administrative Tribunal (IDBAT) and the IMFAT; Me Rémi Cèbe, Partner at Sicault & Cèbe, A.A.R.P.I., and Lecturer at the Université Paris 2 Panthéon-Assas; Brian Patterson, Deputy General Counsel, Legal Department, IMF; Judge Raul Pangalangan, President of the Administrative Tribunal of the Asian Development Bank, Judge at the World Bank Administrative Tribunal (WBAT), and former Judge at the International Criminal Court; Mercedes Carrillo, Secretary, Administrative Tribunal of the Organization of American States (OASAT); Paul Jean Le Cannu, Registrar, IMFAT; and Professor August Reinisch, Professor at the University of Vienna, and Special Rapporteur of the International Law Commission of the United Nations on “the settlement of disputes to which international organizations are parties.” The Rapporteur for Session 1 was Anna Holloway, Senior Legal Counsel, International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). Ms. Holloway’s report on Session 1 can be found here.

Additional pictures of Session 1 panelists and Q&A conference participants

Session 2 of the conference addressed Recent Developments in International Administrative Law. The session was moderated by Judge Deborah Thomas-Felix, Judge at the IMFAT. The speakers were Judge Joan Powers, Judge at the EBRDAT and the Appeals Tribunal of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and Chair of the Appeal Board of the World Intellectual Property Organization; Judge Thomas Laker, Judge at the WBAT, NATOAT, Administrative Tribunal of the Council of Europe (ATCE), and EBRDAT; Juliet E. Johnson, Registrar, UNAT; Judge Celia Goldman, Judge at the European Stability Mechanism Administrative Tribunal (ESMAT), former Registrar of the IMFAT; Judge Pablo Sandonato de León, President of the OASAT; Jodi T. Glasow, Executive Secretary, World Bank Sanctions Board; Judge Kieran Bradley, Judge at the IMFAT, IDBAT, and ESMAT; and Judge Paul Lemmens, Chair of the ATCE. The Rapporteur for Session 2 was Véronique Truchon-Lachapelle, Legal Officer, UNAT. Ms. Truchon-Lachapelle’s report on Session 2 can be found here.

Additional pictures of Session 2 panelists and conference participants

Session 3 of the conference explored the issues of immunities of international organizations, independence of international administrative tribunals, and selection of members of these tribunals. The session was moderated by Judge Andrew K.C. Nyirenda, Judge of the IMFAT. Judge Ziadé opened the session with a keynote speech, followed by remarks and comments by Professor Peter Bekker, Partner at Thompson Hine LLP, New York and Chair of International Law at the Centre for Energy, Petroleum and Mineral and Policy, University of Dundee, UK; Kathryn Nelson-Indre, Chair of the Staff Association Committee, IMF; and Yan Liu, General Counsel and Director, Legal Department, IMF. The Rapporteur for Session 3 was Salim S. Sleiman, International Law Fellow, ASIL. Mr. Sleiman’s report on Session 3 can be found here. 

Additional pictures of Session 3 panelists

Closing Remarks were delivered by Professor Edith Brown Weiss, Georgetown University Law School, former Judge of the IMFAT and former President of IDBAT, former Chair of the World Bank Inspection Panel, and former President of ASIL. Professor Brown Weiss conveyed regrets and warm regards on behalf of Professor Sean Murphy, George Washington University Law School, Honorary Vice-President of ASIL, who was unable to attend the full conference.

Professor Brown Weiss emphasized accountability as a core element of the legitimacy and effectiveness of international administrative tribunals. She identified the consolidation of tribunals, the development of international administrative law as a distinct body of law, judicial specialization in the field of IAL, declining multilateralism, and the impact of artificial intelligence as key issues likely to shape the future of these tribunals. She concluded by reaffirming the fundamental purpose of administrative tribunals in being the voice of international civil servants and adapting to changing political, technological, and societal conditions.

A report on Professor Edith Brown Weiss’s closing remarks is available here.

Concluding the conference, Judge Nassib G. Ziadé thanked all speakers, participants, and organizers and invited attendees to a reception marking the close of the event.

Additional pictures of panelists and conference participants

The team at the Registry of the IMF Administrative Tribunal (Maureen Ng’ang’a, pictured above standing on the right, and Paul Jean Le Cannu) extends its warmest thanks to the speakers, the attendees, Fund colleagues, as well as World Bank and ICSID colleagues, who contributed to making the Tribunal’s 30^th anniversary conference a success.