BANGKOK , THAILAND – Uganda represented by the Attorney General Hon Kiryowa Kiwanuka has been elected the Vice President of the Asia Africa Legal consultative Organization (AALCO), at the ongoing annual 62nd Session in Bangkok Thailand, under the theme “Advancing the development of international law through Asian and African leadership.”
AALCO is The Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization (AALCO), originally known as the Asian Legal Consultative Committee (ALCC), that was constituted on 15 November 1956, as a tangible outcome of the historic Bandung Conference, held in Indonesia, in April 1955 with Seven Asian States, namely Burma (now Myanmar), Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), India, Indonesia, Iraq, Japan, and the United Arab Republic (now Arab Republic of Egypt and Syrian Arab Republic) as the original Member States.
The name was changed later, in 1958, to Asia African Legal Consultative Committee, to include participation of countries from Africa. In 200l, it was changed to its current Asian African Legal Consultative Organization, (AALCO), reflecting the growing status of the Organization. Its main objective is “To serve as an advisory body to its Member States in the field of international law and as a forum for Asian-African co-operation in legal matters of common concern.”
In his address to the session, the Hon Attorney General expressed his sincere gratitude to the session for entrusting Uganda with the responsibility of Vice Presidency of the 62nd Session of AALCO and promised that the country will do her best to deliver in the new role that she has assumed today.
The Attorney General In his address on Monday, noted that although there had been a Eurocentric approach to public international Law where Asia and Africa where seen primarily as objects rather than active participants, AALCO had consistently taken a meaningful approach to addressing the pressing legal issues facing the world and reshaped the perception.
“Chair, one way in which issues are added to the organization’s agenda is through referral by a member state, and resonates with the theme of this session, which is a call to us as leaders, to stay informed about global legal developments and bring them to the attention of this organization for in-depth analysis and further engagement with the International Law Commission.”
He also pointed out that it is crucial that they establish systems within their capitals to track issues of particular relevance to Asia and Africa and engage with AALCO.
He further added that Asia and Africa are seen as formidable subjects of international law and equal members of the international community.
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