After taking action on requests for observer status in the General Assembly and considering the report “Diplomatic protection”, the Sixth Committee (Legal) took up the “Report of the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization”, with speakers underlining the importance of that Committee and urging that discussions therein can proceed in a technical and legal fashion, free of politicization.
Tackling the topic, “General principles of law”, the Sixth Committee (Legal) concluded its consideration of Cluster 3 of the International Law Commission’s report today — and thereby, its consideration of that report as a whole — as delegates delved into the complexity of achieving consensus on aspects of international law for which little to no uniform State practice exists.
As the Sixth Committee concluded Cluster 2 of the International Law Commission’s report, speakers tackled “Immunity of State officials from foreign criminal jurisdiction”, debating the differentiated application of the immunity ratione personae and ratione materiae in the criminal jurisdiction of foreign States, while also underscoring the need of finding balance between protecting immunity and ensuring accountability for serious crimes.
As part of its annual tradition, the Sixth Committee (Legal) welcomed the President of the International Court of Justice today, who detailed the organ’s working methods designed to persuade States to place their trust in this “world court”.
As the Sixth Committee (Legal) concluded Cluster 1 from the International Law Commission’s report, delegates weighed in on the draft conclusions, “Protection of the environment in relations to armed conflict”, commending the work accomplished on the topic and providing additional suggestions of provisions that could be included in the texts.
Delegates wrestled with the duality inherent in the concept of peremptory norms of general international law (jus cogens) ‑ which are a category of principles that, while cardinal to international law in theory, have proved elusive to identify in practice ‑ as the Sixth Committee (Legal) continued its discussion of the first cluster of topics from the International Law Commission’s report today.
As the Sixth Committee (Legal) began its consideration of the International Law Commission report today, speakers tackled the first of three clusters of topics, including the chapters on “Peremptory norms of general international law (jus cogens)”, “Protection of the environment in relation to armed conflicts”, “Introductory Chapters” and “Other decisions and conclusions of the Commission”.
As the Sixth Committee (Legal) concluded its debate on the Programme of Assistance in the Teaching, Study, Dissemination and Wider Appreciation of International Law, representatives of African States highlighted the impact that the Programme has had on the continent through its trainings to individuals, as well as its contribution to the development of international law and promotion of the rule of law at the national and international levels. (For background, see Press Release GA/L/3667.)
Reviewing the activities of the Programme of Assistance in the Teaching, Study, Dissemination and Wider Appreciation of International Law, Sixth Committee speakers debated the effective use of remote education and the advantages of in-person trainings, while also calling attention to gender balance, equitable geographical representation and multilingualism in the Programme’s endeavours.
Spotlighting the significant effects of transboundary hazardous activities, Sixth Committee (Legal) delegates debated the necessity of developing an international legal framework based on the draft texts on the prevention of transboundary harm from hazardous activities and the allocation of loss in the case of such harm, or keeping those texts as non-binding measures that provide standards of conduct for States.
