Sixth Committee Lauds ‘Notable Achievement’ of Programme of Assistance’s Funding Request Included in Secretary-General’s Proposed Budget
Special Charter Committee Debate Concluded
As the Sixth Committee (Legal) began deliberations on the Programme of Assistance in the Teaching, Study, Dissemination and Wider Appreciation of International Law today, speakers lauded not only the Programme’s fiftieth anniversary, but the achievement of its long-standing goal for funding of its core programmes to be requested by the Secretary-General in the regular budget.
Martha A. A. Pobee (Ghana), Chair of the Advisory Committee on the Programme of Assistance, recalled that over the years it had become necessary to secure regular and sustainable funding for the Programme. However, as the Programme marked its fiftieth anniversary, efforts towards that end had culminated in the “notable achievement” of funding for the regional courses and the Audiovisual Library of International Law being included in the proposed budget of the Secretary-General.
Paying tribute to her countryman, Kenneth K. S. Dadzie, whose foresight had led to the Programme’s establishment in 1965, she recommended approval of recommendations in the Secretary-General’s report on the topic (document A/70/423), and encouraged delegations to build on the consensus achieved in the Advisory and Sixth Committees on the need for regular funding, particularly among those on the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary).
Virginia Morris, Secretary of the Advisory Committee on the Programme of Assistance, pointed out that if the General Assembly would approve the proposed budget for the Regional Courses and the Audiovisual Library, the Programme of Assistance would be training over 100 lawyers in the training courses and supporting over one million users in all 193 Member States through the Audiovisual Library.
She enumerated cost-saving measures undertaken by the Codification Division beginning in 2010 that had mitigated the need for voluntary contributions for the International Law Fellowship Programme. The modest funds remaining in the trust fund account would be used to prepare a handbook on international law in English and French, which could serve the International Law Fellowship Programme and the Regional Courses, as well as be provided to law schools in developing countries.
Savings, improved efficiency and greater certainty that the Regional Courses would be held were also being realized through the identification of permanent venues for that purpose, she continued. The proposed budget would allow for 20 participants and, if that budget were approved, 10 additional participants could be funded through voluntary contributions.
Introducing a new undertaking for the Programme of Assistance, she said the first International Law Seminar for teachers from African universities would be held at the African Institute of International law in Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania, with guidance and cooperation from the Codification Division in building capacity for “this very worthwhile activity”.
In opening remarks, Eden Charles (Trinidad and Tobago), Chair of the Sixth Committee, underscored that the Programme of Assistance had provided generations of lawyers around the world with important training materials in international law. Its future viability would be decided during the current session. He expressed the hope that the Sixth Committee would ensure the Programme’s successful continuation for future generations of lawyers.
Throughout the meeting delegations praised the contributions of the Programme of Assistance, with Norway’s representative noting the number of its activities taking place in developing countries. That, in turn, empowered legal communities where legal resources were often lacking. He also pointed out that the staggering number of applications for the regional courses and fellowships illustrated the demand for international law training. The Programme recognized the fundamental importance of making the most advanced and sophisticated international legal resources available to all.
Similarly, the representative of Ecuador, speaking for the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), said that the Programme’s scholarships and courses on international law had a multiplying effect within the community of students and professionals, benefitting generations of State lawyers from all corners of the globe. The Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) had given its approval for the Secretariat’s request for necessary resources. “We just need to take the steps from now to the end of the year so as to have those activities […] funded through the regular budget,” he stressed.
In celebration of the fiftieth anniversary, a video presentation on the Audiovisual Library was shown, providing footage from its Historic Archives, ranging from the adoption of the Charter in 1945 to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, as well as from its Lecture Series featuring great legal luminaries talking on different facets of international law.
The Committee today also concluded its debate on the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization.
Speaking on the Special Committee were representatives of China, Iran, Tunisia, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Malaysia, Russian Federation and Venezuela.
Speaking in right of reply on that topic were representatives of the Republic of Korea and Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.
Representatives participating in the deliberations on the Programme of Assistance were South Africa (speaking for the “Group of 77” developing countries and China), Lao People’s Democratic Republic (speaking for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)), Trinidad and Tobago (speaking for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM)), Tonga (speaking for the Pacific small island developing States), Singapore, Sudan, New Zealand and Qatar.
The Sixth Committee will next meet on Monday, 26 October, at 10 a.m. to conclude consideration of the Programme of Assistance and take up Administration of Justice at the United Nations.
Statements on Special Committee on Charter of United Nations
JI XIAOXUE (China) said that over the past four decades the Special Committee had played an irreplaceable role in upholding the authority of the Charter, maintaining international peace and security and promoting the peaceful settlement of international disputes. She cautioned that sanctions should only be imposed as a last resort and when truly necessary should comply with the Charter and international law, with minimal impact on civilians and third States. She hoped that all parties would engage in a pragmatic spirit to improve the Committee’s working methods and supported deliberations on relevant new agenda items based on its mandate. She expressed delight at progress made in compiling the Repertory of Practice of United Nations Organs and updating the Repertoire of Practice of the Security Council and looked forward to hear details of the proposal by the Non-Aligned Movement on “Pacific settlement of disputes and its impact on the maintenance of Peace” during the 2016 session.
HOSSEIN GHARIBI (Iran), associating himself with the Non-Aligned Movement, said that the Special Committee was an appropriate platform for Member States to review and renew their commitments to the principles of the Charter. However, strong political will was needed for constructive dialogue to revitalize that body and wisely use the opportunities it offered. He called prohibition of the threat or use of force “the single most important achievement of the United Nations”, obliging States to refrain from those uses against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State. Those fundamental principles of international law should be adhered to and strictly observed by all States and should be the cornerstone of the rule of law at the international level. In cases of unlawful sanctions, targeted States should be entitled to compensation for damages inflicted. He welcomed the recent report titled “Human rights and unilateral coercive measures” in which the special Rapporteur highlighted the negative impact of such measures on the human rights of affected populations.
NOUR ZARROUK BOUMIZA (Tunisia), associating herself with the Non-Aligned Movement and the African Group, said the Special Committee should play a leading role in the reform of the Organization. Sanctions regimes should take into account unwanted collateral effects and should remedy its effects on third States. Deliberations on that matter were “far from over” as other important aspects warranted review, namely the possible compensation for third States for damages caused by sanctions. Noting that the Special Committee had not made progress at a desirable pace, she underscored that it should be able to count more on the political will of Member States and begin substantive discussions on matters on its agenda. Needed was a thematic agenda with new proposals, such as that submitted by Ghana on strengthening cooperation in the peaceful settlement of disputes. That proposal deserved to be discussed more thoroughly.
JO JONG CHOL (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea),associating himself with the Non-Aligned Movement, said that while the Charter stipulated that the Security Council should act in conformity with the principles of justice and international law, its stereotypes and prejudices had gone unstopped, as shown by the situation on the Korean Peninsula. His country had referred the issue of joint “US-South Korean” military exercises to the Council as a danger to peace and security in the region, but the Council had “turned its back”, he said, noting that the United States was a permanent member. Thus, realization of a democratic United Nations should be a main task in reform efforts. Abuse of the Organization by one country must be addressed without delay, he stressed, urging the United States to immediately dismantle the United Nations Command, which it had established in 1950 to provoke the Korean War, and which had never been associated with the United Nations.
SHARIFAH NURUL FARIHEEN (Malaysia) said that sanctions should only be considered and applied when other means, such as dialogue and negotiations, had been exhausted or when there was an imminent threat to international peace and security. She welcomed the more targeted nature of sanctions, which had reduced the adverse impacts of comprehensive sanctions regimes. That shift, however, would require case-by-case assessments of the possible adverse impact on individual countries, both targeted and non-targeted. That assessment would be done against a baseline drawn from recent historical trends in economic and social conditions in countries of the region. Sanctions, as a mechanism available to the Security Council, must not be viewed or utilized as an end in itself, but rather as a tool towards ensuring the maintenance of international peace and security.
SOFIA S. SARENKOVA (Russian Federation), remarking on the suggested shortening of the length of its sessions, said that while the Special Committee could consider ways to optimize its work, it was important not to “risk capacity”. The Special Committee’s work should continue on an ongoing basis. It provided an opportunity to discuss relevant themes and compare the approaches of States. One of those important themes was the peaceful settlement of disputes. Her delegation had introduced a proposal to update the Handbook on the Peaceful Settlement of Disputes between States, bearing in mind the accumulated experience in the matter since it was published in 1992. She also said she looked forward to discussions on the joint proposal by Belarus and her country on seeking an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice on the consequences of the use of force without prior authorization by the Security Council, expressing hope that those discussions would “bear fruit”.
BRENDA NELLY MEDINA MITA (Venezuela), associating with Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) and the Non-Aligned Movement, said the need to reshape the United Nations through an ongoing review of its organs confirmed and reaffirmed the importance of the Special Committee. Given the significant increase of Member States since the Organization’s inception, the number of the Security Council’s Permanent Members must be increased to give greater perspective to its decisions. The use of the veto must be limited. The interests of developing countries must be taken into account as they were currently not represented in a balanced way in the Council. The General Assembly was the “supreme” and most representative body of the United Nations and should therefore be the body from which main policies and decisions originated. He also expressed support for several proposals by Member States, including that of Belarus and the Russian Federation on seeking the opinion of the International Court of Justice on the legal consequences of use of force of States. He emphasized the value of the Repertory and Repertoire, noting that they were important research tools for governmental and academic institutions in teaching international law.
Right of Reply
In exercise of the right of reply, a representative of the Republic of Korea said that the remarks by the representative of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea had focused on the status of the United Nations Command. Expressing regret that that representative had repeated “biased and unsubstantiated” interpretations of well-established facts, he said the United Nations Command had been created by the Security Council legally according to resolutions 82 (1950), 83 (1950), 84 (1950), 85 (1950) and 88 (1950).
Those texts recognized the United Nations Command as an entity entrusted by the Organization to carry out functions in the maintenance of peace on the Korean Peninsula, he went on to say. Their validity had been reaffirmed by the Council’s various subsequent practices, as well as by the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice issued in June 1971. He also drew attention to the position of the Secretariat on the issue expressed by the Secretary-General’s spokesperson in March 2006. Deliberations on the Special Committee was not the appropriate forum to discuss the Command’s status or the specific situation on or around the Korean Peninsula, especially based on “distorted and ungrounded” allegations.
Responding to his counterpart, a representative of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea said that such a statement proved clearly that “South Korea” had no will to abide by the United Nations Charter and international law. To date, the abnormal and dangerous situation on the Korean peninsula threatened peace and security in the region. Large scale military drills had been conducted every year with the involvement of the United States. His country had set forth a constructive proposal to remove the danger of war and diffuse tension earlier this year and had made a sincere effort to that realization. It had also proposed to the United States to conclude a peace treaty as soon as possible. However, the United States had challenged that proposal by introducing a carrier to the region.
Those manoeuvres, he said, had been acts of aggression designed to bring down the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. By putting sustained military pressure on his country, the United States had prevented his country from its efforts to improve the living standards of its people. The joint military exercises by the United States and South Korea were becoming more provocative and aggressive and being staged in the name of the United Nations Command. The General Assembly resolution in 1975 on dismantling the United Nations Command and withdrawing all troops from that area had not been implemented. The current session dealt with the legal affairs arising from implementation of the Charter. Attention should be paid to the issue so that the illegal entity of the Command could be considered and relevant measures taken.
Opening Remarks on Programme of Assistance
EDEN CHARLES, Chair of the Sixth Committee (Legal), turning to the report of the Secretary-General on the Programme of Assistance in the Teaching, Study, Dissemination and Wider Appreciation of International Law (document A/70/423), noted that the Programme’s Advisory Committee had focused on the activities for the next biennium and related financial issues. He also noted that 2015 marked the fiftieth anniversary of the Programme, which had provided generations of lawyers around the world with important training materials in international law. Underscoring that its future viability would be decided during the current session, he expressed the hope that the Sixth Committee would ensure the Programme’s successful continuation for future generations of lawyers.
VIRGINIA MORRIS, Secretary of the Advisory Committee on the Programme of Assistance in the Teaching, Study, Dissemination and Wider Appreciation of International Law, said that, in response to the increasing demand for international law training and research materials for lawyers in developing and developed countries, a comprehensive review of Programme activities had been undertaken over the last several years.
When the process began, about 20 lawyers per year received training in the International Law Fellowship Programme, she said. If the General Assembly would approve the proposed programme budget for the Regional Courses and the Audiovisual Library, the Programme of Assistance would be training over 100 lawyers in the training courses and supporting over one million users in all 193 Member States through the Audiovisual Library.
Due to cost-saving measures undertaken by the Codification Division beginning in 2010, she said that the regular budget had provided sufficient funding for 20 fellowships for the International Law Fellowship Programme annually. She did not anticipate the need for any more voluntary contributions for that training course as only 20 to 21 participants could be accommodated due to space constraints.
The modest funds remaining in the trust fund account would be used to prepare a handbook on international law containing materials in English and French, she said. It would be utilized by the International Law Fellowship Programme as well as for the Regional Courses and could also be provided to law schools in developing countries to help build their capacity to offer courses in international law. The handbook would provide significant cost savings and enhanced efficiency as compared to the current practice of preparing numerous study books for each training course. The possibility of cooperating with universities to assist in preparing the handbook in other official languages would also be explored.
Noting that the Regional Courses had been part of the Programme of Assistance since it was established in 1965, she pointed out that over the past 50 years there had been only 16 courses for Africa, 9 courses for Asia-Pacific and 7 courses for Latin America and the Caribbean. The Codification Division had identified permanent venues for the Regional Courses, providing enhanced efficiency, cost savings and greater certainty that the courses would take place.
The proposed budget would provide for the minimum 20 fellowships required for the courses to take place, she said. The effort or expense to conduct a course for less than 20 participants was not worthwhile. If the Assembly were to approve that budget the goal would be to have 30 participants in each of the courses with ten fellowships from the regular budget and 10 additional participants funded by voluntary contributions. She emphasized that if the proposed budget for the Audiovisual Library would be approved, it would ensure the continuation and further development of the Lecture Series. Efforts would be made to raise the necessary voluntary contributions to ensure further development of the Historic Archives.
There was one new activity for the Programme of Assistance, she said. The African Institute of International Law, based in Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania, had agreed to conduct the first International Law Seminar for teachers from African universities at the Kofi Annan Centre in Accra, Ghana. That training course would be held in honour of the late Ambassador Kenneth K.S. Dadzie of Ghana, who first proposed the Programme of Assistance in 1963.
The Codification Division would provide guidance to the African Institute and cooperation in building capacity for “this very worthwhile activity”, she said, which would be funded by in-kind contributions from the Kofi Annan Centre and by voluntary contributions provided to the African Institute. The seminar, to take place over two weeks, was planned for August 2016. The curriculum would include international law, international organizations, United Nations and African Union law institutions, human rights, international humanitarian law and international criminal law.
Turning to the Hamilton Shirley Amerasinghe Memorial Fellowship on the Law of the Sea, she said that the report contained information from colleagues in the Division of Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, who were present to answer any questions on that fellowship. In addition there were modest plans to mark the Programme’s fiftieth anniversary, given limited resources.
The handbook on international law was slated for production before the next General Assembly, she said. Flash drives containing an extensive international law library would be distributed to Sixth Committee delegations and there would also be a video presentation on the Audiovisual Library to promote greater awareness of that resource for international law teaching, research and dissemination.
MARTHA A. A. POBEE (Ghana), speaking both as Chair of the Advisory Committee on the Programme of Assistance and in her national capacity, paid tribute to the memory of her countryman, Ambassador Dadzie, who had foreseen the need for a deeper understanding of international law and had worked with other delegations to establish the Programme. Over the years it had become necessary to secure regular and sustainable funding for the Programme. Efforts towards that end had culminated in the “notable achievement” of funding for the regional courses and the Audiovisual Library of International Law being included in the proposed budget of the Secretary-General.
Introducing the outcome of the Advisory Committee’s fiftieth session, she noted the Committee’s recommendation that the draft resolution on the item be approved during International Law Week to highlight the Programme’s important contribution to international law. The Committee had also suggested approval of the guidelines and recommendations contained in section III of the report, as well as authorization to conduct the International Law Fellowship Programme and the three Regional Courses in 2016 and 2017, for which resources had been included in the proposed programme budget for the next biennium.
She also said that the General Assembly should be requested to provide for one scholarship in 2016 and in 2017 under the Hamilton Shirley Amerasinghe Memorial Fellowship on the Law of the Sea under the Programme budget for the period, in the case that voluntary contributions be insufficient. Pleased with the consensus achieved in the Advisory and Sixth Committees on the need for regular funding of the Programme, she encouraged delegations to build on that consensus, particularly in the Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary), which was crucial.
Statements on Programme of Assistance
MAHLATSE MMINELE (South Africa), speaking for the “Group of 77” developing countries and China, said that because 2015 marked the fiftieth anniversary of the Programme of Assistance, it was an opportune time to remember the objectives for its creation. State officials of both developing and developed countries had benefited greatly from the Programme, especially through its regional courses in international law, international fellowships, the Audiovisual Library and publications. He expressed concern that no regional courses had been conducted for the Asia-Pacific or Latin America and the Caribbean in 2014 and 2015 due to lack of funding. The critical situation of the Audiovisual Library as well as the 2014 Amerasinghe Fellowship was also of great concern.
General Assembly resolution 69/117 was a truly historic resolution, he said. That resolution directly requested the Secretary-General to include in the budget for the biennium 2016-17 the necessary resources for the three regional courses to be held each year and for the continuation of the Audiovisual Library. Member States in both the Sixth and Fifth Committees must make the necessary decisions, among others, to include those courses with at least 20 fellowships a year and the Audiovisual Library in the Organization’s regular budget. He urged all Member States to join efforts in ensuring the effective implementation of the Advisory Committee’s recommendations and the provision of regular budgetary funding for the Programme.
AGUSTÍN FORNELL (Ecuador), speaking for the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), said that knowledge and understanding of the substantive norms of international law were of the utmost importance for the Organization as those tenets comprised its basis of purpose. The Programme of Assistance was a building block to that end. Its scholarships and courses on international law had a multiplying effect within the community of students and professionals and had benefitted generations of State lawyers from all corners of the globe. Thus, it was regrettable that the courses for Latin America and Asia Pacific had been cancelled. He said he hoped that the necessary funding for all three regional courses would be included in the regular budget. He also praised the 26 international law-related websites and said that the Audiovisual Library provided a useful toolbox to achieve the Programme’s goals, noting that it had been accessed by over one million people from 193 Member States.
He commended the Office of Legal Affairs for its work on legal publications, particularly the electronic publishing programme, and stressed the special value of its publishing and compilations of International Court of Justice summaries and decisions in all official languages. In many cases, that was the only source for teachers, researchers and students to access them, as the Court published them only in English and French. Stressing the importance of funding the Programme, he noted that in accordance with General Assembly resolution 69/117, the Secretariat had requested the necessary resources for several Programme activities — among them the regional courses for Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin-America and the Caribbean — and that the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) had given its approval. “We just need to take the steps from now to the end of the year so as to have those activities […] funded through the regular budget,” he said.
KHIANE PHANSOURIVONG (Lao People’s Democratic Republic), speaking for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), commended the Office of the Legal Affairs and the Codification Division, in particular, for their efforts in implementing the Programme of Assistance despite budgetary constraints. The Programme had provided invaluable opportunities to developing countries, including those in ASEAN, and helped increase their understanding of the principles and obligations of international law. He expressed hope that Member States would continue to provide voluntary contributions to implement the activities under the Programme.
He welcomed the application of advanced technology, in particular the use of the Audiovisual Library, noting that it was the most cost-effective and widely accessible tool to disseminate information. He was pleased to see the successful convening of the Regional Course in International Law in Africa and expressed hope that regional courses in the other regions would be held in 2016. The whole budget for the regional courses and the Audiovisual Library should be made available directly from the United Nations’ regular budget as well as Member States’ voluntary contributions.
LIZANNE ACHING (Trinidad and Tobago), associating herself with the Non-Aligned Movement and CELAC, expressed deep concern that, for another consecutive year, the Regional Courses in International Law for Asia-Pacific and for Latin America and the Caribbean for 2015 had been cancelled due to insufficient funding. Also disconcerting was that provisions of several resolutions requesting the Secretary-General to provide resources to the Programme from the regular budget had not been implemented. Necessary resources must be provided to enable the resumption of desktop publishing, which had been discontinued by the Codification Division in 2014. That function was important in expediting the issuance of legal publications made available to the legal community. Expressing support for the Advisory Committee’s recommendations, she urged Member States and all interested parties to make voluntary contributions toward the Programme’s activities.
T. SUKA MANGISI (Tonga), speaking for the Pacific small island developing States, said those States had benefited greatly from the Programme, especially from its regional courses in international law, the international fellowships, and the Audiovisual Library and publications. Given the Programme’s continued lack of funding, he welcomed the proposal for additional resources that would enable the holding of a regional course in international law for the Asia-Pacific in 2016 and 2017 in Thailand. Member States should take necessary and timely measures to allow inclusion of the Programme in the United Nations’ regular budget.
He expressed gratitude to Italy for having funded the inaugural capacity-building project for the Pacific small island developing States, known as the PSIDS-FOS or PSIDS Fellowship on the Ocean Seas, which would be implemented in January 2016. That project was part of an ongoing cooperation between small island developing States and Italy, Spain, Luxembourg and Austria. The fellowship would bring to New York for a year, young civil servants of the small island States who worked in the areas of foreign affairs, fisheries, and prosecutions, among others, for academic and practical training and experience at all ocean and law of the sea-related meetings and events. The knowledge and experience gained by those participants would then be brought back to their region.
GILLES MARHIC (European Union) welcomed the proposals of the Codification Division to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the Programme, including the handbook on international law, the flash drive containing an extensive collection of international law materials, and the presentation of the Audiovisual Library. The Library’s establishment and continuing expansion was an especially significant achievement, offering easy access to a vast range of legal resources free of charge. Recalling that it had been accessed by more than 1.3 million users in 193 States, he said that statistic underlined the importance of the Library to the legal community, including students, historians and international law practitioners.
He expressed appreciation for the Codification Division’s continued work in disseminating legal publications and information through the internet. Noting the Programme’s other activities, he commended States for their voluntary contributions and encouraged all States to consider making more frequent or increasing contributions to sustain the projected regional courses and the Audiovisual Library.
NATALIE Y. MORRIS-SHARMA (Singapore), associating herself with ASEAN, said that as a small State in an increasingly interconnected world, the development of international law expertise was one of her country’s priorities. Expressing regret with the cancelation of the regional course for the Asia-Pacific in 2014 and 2015, she said the approval of the proposed budget as recommended by the Advisory Committee would ensure predictability in the delivery of the Programme’s various activities. On the various seminars organized by the Codification Division, she expressed hope for continued “best efforts” to ensure representation of the major legal systems and balance among various geographical regions. The Codification Division should invite prominent international law scholars and practitioners from different regions and legal systems to participate as lecturers, she said, adding that there was room for greater diversity in representation.
HASSAN HAMID HASSAN (Sudan), associating himself with the Group of 77, said that a regional course would be held in Cairo with the cooperation of the League of Arab States. He expressed hope that the course would be a new starting point of cooperation between Arab States and the United Nations in training and capacity building to enhance the participation of developing countries in international law. Voicing concern with the financial obstacles the Programme continued to face, he said its funding must be ensured through the Organization’s regular budget, especially in light of the positive contributions the Programme had made to the work of Member States. He commended the African Union Summit for its support of the Programme, as well as the African Institute of International Law, encouraging intensified efforts of support to the latter so it could further disseminate and promote the teaching of international law.
SHANNON TAU (New Zealand) commended Ethiopia, Thailand and Uruguay for their willingness to host the Programme’s regional courses, as well as the willingness of Egypt to host the international law seminar for Arab States next month. She expressed hope that the bid for regular budget funding would be successful to allow valuable regional courses to proceed in 2016 as planned. She encouraged States to consider voluntary contributions to the Programme to supplement what was sought from the regular budget. Her country had contributed to the Programme for a number of years, including contributions this year to the regional courses and work of the Audiovisual Library.
AHMAD MOHAMED AL-THANI (Qatar), associating himself with the Group of 77, said the challenges facing the international community today underlined the importance of the Programme of Assistance. His country had continued offering financial assistance to the Programme in order for it to overcome its chronic financial problems and keep raising awareness about international law. As well, the largest number of jurists in his country participated in the Programme’s activities. Expressing concern with the lack of funding and cancellation of regional courses, he said the General Assembly and the Sixth Committee must continue to address those issues.
ANDREAS MOTZFELDT KRAVIK (Norway) said he was especially encouraged to see the number of activities taking place in developing countries, thus empowering legal communities in places where legal resources were often lacking. Noting that international law was a refined but also extremely complex body of law, he said the Programme recognized the value of mastering those complexities and the fundamental importance of making the most advanced and sophisticated international legal resources available to all. It had educated and inspired some of the most renowned scholars and practitioners of today’s international legal community, many of whom had reciprocated by lecturing and teaching on behalf of the Programme. The staggering number of applications for the regional courses and fellowships confirmed the demand for international law training and research materials in developing and developed countries. Voluntary contributions had proven to be an unsustainable funding method. Ensuring the reliable funding of the Programme must be a core priority for all Member States.