Tommy Koh named the Great Negotiator of 2014

September 26, 2013

Source NUS News Hub


Prof Koh has been named the recipient of the 2014 Great Negotiator Award

Professor Tommy Koh, Ambassador-At-Large at Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Rector of Tembusu College at NUS, has been named the recipient of the 2014 Great Negotiator Award by the Program on Negotiation - an inter-university consortium of Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Tufts University - and the Future Diplomacy Project at Harvard Kennedy School.

Prof Koh is recognised for his outstanding contributions to the fields of negotiation and dispute resolution, especially his leading roles in challenging settings, including the Law of the Sea, the “Rio” Earth Summit, the ASEAN Charter and the Singapore-US Free Trade Agreement.

Prof Koh said: “I thank Harvard University for this great honour. I accept this award on behalf of all my colleagues who have been members of the various teams I have led, in both bilateral and multilateral negotiations."

The Great Negotiator Award honours individuals whose lifetime achievements in the field of negotiation and dispute resolution have made a significant and lasting impact. Previous Award recipients include former US Secretary of State James A Baker, III; Martti Ahtisaari, Nobel Peace Prize Recipient and former President of Finland; Sadako Ogata, former United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees; and Lakhdar Brahimi, United Nations Secretary General’s Special Envoy to Afghanistan.

NUS President Professor Tan Chorh Chuan said: “Professor Tommy Koh is an outstanding lawyer, professor and diplomat who played a pivotal role in shaping Singapore’s foreign policy. The Great Negotiator Award is indeed a strong and timely recognition of Prof Koh’s distinguished career as well as his contributions towards international affairs and diplomacy.”

Prof Tan added that NUS’ faculty, staff and students have also benefitted from Prof Koh’s deep insights and vast experience through his involvement in the University’s activities.

Prof Koh, who is Chairman of the Centre for International Law of NUS, Special Adviser of the Institute of Policy within the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at NUS, and Chairman of the National Heritage Board, will be honoured at a series of public events at Harvard University on 10 April 2014.

The Tembusu (Fagraea fragrans) is a large evergreen tree in the family Gentianaceae. It is native to Southeast Asia. Its trunk is dark brown, with deeply fissured bark, looking somewhat like a bittergourd. It grows in an irregular shape from 10 to 25m high. Its leaves are light green and oval in shape. Its yellowish flowers have a distinct fragrance and the fruits of the tree are bitter tasting red berries, which are eaten by birds and fruit bats.