Lauterpacht Centre for International Law

This in-person event, with an option to attend online, has been rescheduled from 9 May 2023. Chaired by Professor Henning Grosse Ruse-Khan and Dr Andrew Sanger On Tuesday 30 May 2023, the Lauterpacht Centre will host an inter-disciplinary panel discussion on reparations for slavery that focuses on the responsibility of private actors who benefited from—or were otherwise involved in—slavery. It will explore Haiti’s 1825 indemnification as a case study. As recent attempts to obtain reparations from private actors demonstrate (e.g., the Drax case in Barbados), there are many challenging questions of law and responsibility still to be resolved. These include the impact of time on liability/reparations (manifesting itself in legal doctrines of limitations, acquiesce etc), the difficulty of identifying substantive law for liability (and related questions of inter-temporality and the role of national institutions in developing legal liability), the challenge of identifying the relationship between the private actor and the enslavement that took place, the role of international law in such claims, and the relationship between the private actors and the state. The Panel will use Haiti's 1825 indemnification as a unique case study to explore the above- mentioned challenges. In 1825, France demanded—with warships—a 150-million-franc indemnity (reduced in 1838 to 90 million) to settle claims over property, which included people emancipated through the Haitian Revolution, in exchange for diplomatic recognition of Haitian independence and an end to French threats of invasion. To meet this demand, Haiti took significant loans from the French Bank Crédit Industriel et Commercial , with remainder of the debt eventually being moved to the US and US banks (e.g. to the National City Bank of New York—now Citibank. Imposed by abusive force, these debts inflicted crippling damage to the Haitian economy and the Haitian people over many years and yet the question(s) of reparations by state and private actors remains unresolved.

From 2009 to 2014, Baroness Catherine Ashton was the EU’s first High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. She faced the challenge of representing the views and values of 28 nations during one of the most turbulent periods, from Russia’s invasion of Crimea to the Iran nuclear negotiations. All welcome to attend. Chair: Professor Marc Weller

Apologies but due to industrial action these lecture dates have been rearranged for a second time to the following times below. You will need to re-register online for these revised times. A series of three lectures by Dr. B.S.Chimni, distinguished Professor of International Law, O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat, Haryana, India. 1.00 pm - 2.00 pm Sandwich Lunch in the Old Library for attendees 2.00 pm - 3.00 pm Tues 14 March Lecture 1: Mapping the Terrain Refreshment break 3.30 pm - 4.30 pm Tues 14 March Lecture 2: Exploring Nexus Refreshment break 5.00 pm - 6.00 pm Tues 14 March Lecture 3: Reframing Doctrines 6.15 pm - 7.00 pm Tues 14 March Q&A There is limited capacity in the Berkowitz/Finley Lecture Hall. Please arrive early to secure your place and to avoid disappointment. The Hersch Lauterpacht Memorial Lecture is an annual three-part lecture series given in Cambridge to commemorate the unique contribution to the development of international law of Sir Hersch Lauterpacht . These lectures are given annually by a person of eminence in the field of international law.

Lecture Summary: The survival of our planet requires swift and targeted climate policies to adapt, mitigate and repair. Scientists and political elites acknowledge the urgency to reduce our reliance on coal and fossil fuels to achieve the necessary reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Academics have been studying the impacts of investment treaty protections on climate action and argued that investment treaties raise the cost of climate action, financially and via regulatory chill and limit their ability to combat climate change. There also have been instances where investment treaties protected investors in the renewable energy sector leading to the argument that international investment law can support transition to renewable energy. This lecture will reflect on the compatibility of states’ existing investment treaty obligations with their climate obligations. It will consider the consequences of investment law’s distaste of local politics, stakeholder participation and public protest, which are essential to the realization of the right to a healthy environment, climate policy-making, and more broadly to democratic governance. Anil is a Senior Lecturer at Essex Law School and a co-director of the Essex Business and Human Rights Project. A sandwich lunch is available for all attendees from 12.30 pm in the Old Library.