The Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization (AALCO) successfully convened a webinar on “Non-Legally Binding International Agreements” on 20 May 2026 as part of its AALCO@70 commemorative programme marking the Organization’s seventieth anniversary. The webinar brought together diplomats, government officials, academics, and legal practitioners from across Asia, Africa, and beyond to discuss a topic currently under active consideration by the International Law Commission (ILC).
The webinar was opened by H.E. Dr. Kamalinne Pinitpuvadol, Secretary-General of AALCO, who welcomed the participants and highlighted AALCO’s long-standing engagement with the work of the International Law Commission. He emphasized the growing importance of non-legally binding international agreements in contemporary international relations and reaffirmed AALCO’s commitment to promoting informed dialogue and strengthening Asian and African contributions to the progressive development and codification of international law.
Special Remarks were delivered by Mr. Mohammed Hussain K.S., Joint Secretary, Legal and Treaties Division, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, on behalf of the Republic of India, the Host State of AALCO. He reflected on the evolving architecture of international legal relations and underscored the complementary roles of AALCO and the International Law Commission in advancing international law.
The Technical Session featured two distinguished experts.
Professor Mathias Forteau, Member of the International Law Commission, Special Rapporteur on the topic of Non-Legally Binding International Agreements, and Professor of Law at Université Paris Nanterre, provided a comprehensive overview of the Commission’s ongoing work. He discussed the six draft conclusions contained in his second and third reports, highlighted the recent adoption of Draft Conclusion 1 by the Drafting Committee during the Commission’s Seventy-Seventh Session, and emphasized the central role of State practice in the Commission’s work. He also encouraged greater engagement by Asian and African States in the Commission’s deliberations.
Dr. Luther M. Rangreji, former Additional Secretary, Legal and Treaties Division, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, presented a practitioner’s perspective based on India’s treaty practice. He highlighted the diversity of terminology used by States in relation to non-legally binding instruments and stressed the practical value of developing greater international clarity regarding their identification and use.
The presentations were followed by an interactive question-and-answer session, during which participants exchanged views on the effectiveness of non-legally binding instruments in responding to emerging global challenges, the scope of the Commission’s draft conclusions, and the relationship between the Commission’s work, the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, and State sovereignty.
The webinar was moderated by Mr. Shujoy Mazumdar, Senior Legal Officer, AALCO Secretariat, while the Vote of Thanks was delivered by Ms. Sakura Ozaki, Deputy Secretary-General, AALCO.
The webinar formed part of AALCO’s continuing dialogue series with members of the International Law Commission. Through this initiative, AALCO continues to provide an important platform for constructive exchanges between the Commission and Asian and African States, thereby supporting the progressive development and codification of international law.
