
During the Third Forum on Developing Countries and International Law, held in Beijing, China, on 26 June 2025, Dr. Kamalinne Pinitpuvadol, Secretary-General of the Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization (AALCO) spoke about the organization’s role and addressed several key aspects of its work in the following manner:
As the principal legal advisory body for its Members, AALCO plays a vital role in upholding the rule of law and shaping international legal norms through the processes of codification and progressive development of international law. In doing so, it strengthens the collective voice of the Global South and ensures that our legal traditions and perspectives are meaningfully represented in the making of international law.
AALCO plays a vital role in supporting the progressive development and codification of international law through a variety of institutional tools, platforms, and consultative processes. At the core of its work are the Annual Sessions, where representatives of its 49 Member States come together to deliberate on priority legal issues, exchange national experiences, and articulate shared legal positions. In addition to these formal sessions, AALCO organizes intercessional expert meetings, thematic seminars, and capacity-building workshops, which provide more focused settings for technical and policy-oriented discussions on specific areas of international law.
To support these deliberations, the AALCO Secretariat conducts in-depth research and prepares analytical background papers, legal memoranda, and issue briefs. These documents are distributed to Member States in advance of meetings and are designed to facilitate informed dialogue, enhance legal clarity, and provide updates on recent developments at the international and regional levels. The Secretariat also compiles Member State inputs, legal opinions, and meeting outcomes into official reports, which contribute to building a common legal understanding among Asian and African countries.
Through this structured and inclusive process, AALCO not only informs and strengthens the legal capacity of its Member States but also enables them to actively participate in the shaping of international legal norms and principles.
The AALCO’s work programme is guided by the priorities of our Member States and reflects the realities facing developing countries. Allow me to share a few concrete examples from our current agenda, which demonstrate both the scope and depth of AALCO’s contribution to international legal development:
Responding to Global Legal Trends:
AALCO engages closely with the International Law Commission (ILC), contributing Afro- Asian perspectives to vital topics such as sea-level rise and statehood, the general principles of law, and the immunity of State officials from foreign criminal jurisdiction. These are not abstract debates—they carry direct implications for sovereignty, accountability, and the future legal order in a changing world.
Law of the Sea:
For our many coastal and island Member States, maritime law is a priority. AALCO provides a neutral platform for discussing complex legal issues such as maritime boundary delimitation, deep seabed mining, and the protection of marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction—issues that are becoming increasingly urgent amid shifting geopolitical and environmental pressures.
Environmental Law and Climate Justice:
AALCO is working to bridge global climate commitments with national implementation. Our focus on climate justice ensures that developing countries are supported in creating legal frameworks that are both environmentally sound and socially equitable, especially in vulnerable regions.
Cultural and Indigenous Rights:
We support the international protection of traditional cultural expressions and folklore, advocating for legal regimes that protect indigenous knowledge systems from exploitation and ensure equitable benefit-sharing.
Migration and Humanitarian Law:
AALCO’s work on refugees and migrant workers aims to improve legal protections and facilitate cooperation among sending, transit, and receiving countries, especially within the Afro-Asian region where migration is a major social and economic reality.
The Question of Palestine:
A long-standing item on AALCO’s agenda, we continue to underscore violations of international law in the occupied Palestinian territories, reaffirming the inalienable legal rights of the Palestinian people and calling for genuine international accountability.
Combating Terrorism with Justice:
AALCO supports balanced legal frameworks to combat terrorism and violent extremism— frameworks that uphold human rights, avoid discriminatory enforcement, and ensure clarity and fairness in legal definitions and procedures.
Human Trafficking and Gender Justice:
In addressing trafficking in women and children, AALCO promotes integrated legal approaches that treat trafficking as both a criminal justice issue and a violation of fundamental human rights, especially in vulnerable communities.
Challenging Unilateral Sanctions:
At the request of Member States, AALCO is examining the legality and implications of the extraterritorial application of national laws, particularly unilateral sanctions that impact sovereignty, trade, and economic development across the South.
International Criminal Law and Sovereignty:
We continue to monitor developments at the International Criminal Court (ICC), analyzing their implications for State sovereignty, non-selective justice, and the principles of due process and fair trial.
Asset Recovery and Anti-Corruption:
The Asset Recovery Expert Forum, initiated by Indonesia, is building a practical network for cooperation on the repatriation of stolen public assets. In parallel, AALCO is exploring ways to strengthen implementation and enforcement of anti-corruption instruments, especially in contexts where capacity remains a challenge.
Cyberspace and Digital Sovereignty:
As digitalization transforms governance and conflict alike, AALCO is developing a legal agenda on international law in cyberspace— addressing cybercrime, data governance, digital sovereignty, and the need for inclusive cyber norms.
Trade and Investment Law:
We track and contribute to the work of UNCITRAL and other international trade bodies to ensure that developing countries benefit from fair dispute resolution, transparent investment agreements, and balanced legal protections.
Private International Law Development:
Through our collaboration with UNCITRAL, the Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH), and UNIDROIT, AALCO helps develop harmonized legal standards in areas such as cross-border commerce, family law, digital contracts and civil procedure. This work ensures that legal instruments are accessible, inclusive, and attuned to developing country contexts.
World Trade Organization (WTO):
AALCO’s discussions on the future of the WTO aim to promote a genuinely multilateral trading system, where legal rules are not used to entrench inequality, but to advance fairness, development, and inclusiveness.
Economic Justice and Financial Reform:
We are convening dialogues on global financial crises, drawing from Member States’ experiences to propose legal safeguards, sovereign debt frameworks, and reform options that reflect the economic realities of the Global South.
Peaceful Settlement of Disputes:
AALCO remains committed to promoting mediation, arbitration, and mutual consent mechanisms that uphold sovereignty and prevent escalation. We are also exploring ways to support the development of regional and sub-regional dispute resolution systems.
Legal Dimensions of Outer Space:
With space technology increasingly relevant, AALCO is expanding its engagement on international space law, emphasizing equitable access, peaceful uses, and the prevention of a legal vacuum that might marginalize the Global South.
Moreover, AALCO’s commitment to the peaceful settlement of disputes is not only conceptual, but also institutional. Through our six Regional Arbitration Centres, located in Cairo, Lagos, Kuala Lumpur, Tehran, Nairobi, and Hong Kong SAR, we have helped build a credible and accessible infrastructure for international commercial arbitration and alternative dispute resolution.
These Centres, which operate under the auspices of AALCO but with independent procedural frameworks, serve as neutral venues for the resolution of cross-border commercial disputes, particularly among parties from the Global South. They are designed to:
- Enhance regional capacity in arbitration and mediation;
- Provide cost-effective and culturally sensitive forums for dispute resolution;
- Strengthen legal certainty and investor confidence in developing economies;
- Promote South-South legal cooperation and jurisprudential development.
- The role of these Centres has become increasingly significant amid the rise of complex trade, infrastructure, and digital economy agreements involving developing countries. As such, we will continue to support their expansion, integration with international best practices, and linkages with academic and professional legal communities across Asia and Africa.
This Forum is more than a meeting. It is a reaffirmation of our shared responsibility— and a timely opportunity—to advance an international legal order that reflects the dignity, priorities, and aspirations of the Global South.
It reminds us of our collective duty to uphold the rule of law, promote justice, and ensure that the voices of developing countries are not only heard, but also respected in all international legal fora.
As we look ahead, the path forward demands more than consensus. It calls for solidarity, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to the foundational principles of sovereign equality and mutual respect.
Let us make full use of this occasion to exchange ideas, forge common strategies, and work together to build a legal order that is not only rules-based—but also rights-based, balanced, and truly representative of all humanity.
Editor’s Note: The views entertained in this article do not necessarily reflect the stance of The Ethiopian Herald
ADDISALEM MULAT
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD SUNDAY EDITION 29 JUNE 2025