COLLOQUIUM ON DEVELOPMENT, CODIFICATION OF INTERNATIONAL LAW TO BE HELD AT HEADQUARTERS ON 28 OCTOBER

Press Release
L/2832

COLLOQUIUM ON DEVELOPMENT, CODIFICATION OF INTERNATIONAL LAW TO BE HELD AT HEADQUARTERS ON 28 OCTOBER

A Colloquium on the Progressive Development and Codification of International Law will be held on Tuesday, 28 October at United Nations Headquarters in New York to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the International Law Commission. The Commission was established by the General Assembly as its principal arm for carrying out its Charter responsibilities "to initiate studies and make recommendations for the purpose of ... encouraging the progressive development of international law and its codification". The Colloquium will aim at generating concrete and practical suggestions for enhancing the capability of the Commission to contribute to that process. Participants will include legal advisers of States, representatives to the Sixth Committee (Legal) of the General Assembly, current members of the Commission, and invited experts from universities, research institutions and other organizations worldwide. The participants will consider six specific topics relating to the progressive development and codification of international law. These include an overview of the international law-making process and the role of the International Law Commission, major complexities encountered in contemporary international law-making, and the selection of topics for codification and progressive development by the Commission, including a consideration of its working-methods. They will also discuss the Commission's work and the shaping of international law, enhancing the Commission's relationship with other law-making bodies and relevant academic and professional institutions, and making international law more relevant and readily available. Selected experts from around the world have been invited to write and present papers setting out their thoughts and proposals on these topics, and there will be an address by a keynote speaker during a working lunch. In addition, there are plans to publish a book incorporating the full texts of the papers presented to the Colloquium, along with a record of its proceedings. In addition, the event will be filmed and taped, so that a short audio-visual course on the progressive development and codification of international law may be produced for teaching purposes. The Colloquium is being held pursuant to General Assembly resolution 51/160 of 16 December 1996. Additional information on the event is available from the Codification Division of the Office of Legal Affairs (tel: 212/963-5345; fax: 212/963-1963).

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