Ad Hoc Committee on the Administration of Justice at the United Nations
(2008–2009)
Introduction
In its decision 62/519 of 6 December 2007, the General Assembly decided to establish an Ad Hoc Committee on the Administration of Justice at the United Nations, to be open to all States Members of the United Nations, members of the specialized agencies or members of the International Atomic Energy Agency, for the purpose of continuing the work on the legal aspects of the item "Administration of Justice at the United Nations", taking into account the results of the deliberations of the Sixth Committee on the item (A/C.5/61/21, appendix I, and A/C.5/62/11, apppendix I), previous decisions of the Assembly and any further decisions that the Assembly may take during its sixty-second session prior to the meeting of the Ad Hoc Committee.
In its decision 63/531 of 11 December 2008, the General Assembly decided that the Ad Hoc Committee would continue the work on the outstanding legal aspects of the item, taking into account the results of the deliberations of the Fifth and Sixth Committees on the item, previous decisions of the Assembly and any further decisions that the Assembly may take during its sixty-third session prior to the meeting of the Ad Hoc Committee. The Ad Hoc Committee met from 20 to 24 April 2009, and shall report on its work to the Assembly at its sixty-fourth session.
The Ad Hoc Committee held two sessions, in 2008 and 2009. No session was held from 2010 to 2012 respectively.
First Session
The Ad Hoc Committee held its first session from 10 to 18 April and on 21 and 24 April 2008 at United Nations Headquarters in New York. At its first meeting, on 10 April 2008, the Committee decided to proceed with its discussions as a working group of the whole. The Working Group of the Whole held five meetings, on 11, 14, 21 and 24 April 2008. In several rounds of informal consultations, the draft statutes of the United Nations Dispute Tribunal and the United Nations Appeals Tribunal (see A/62/748 and Corr.1, annexes I and II) were thoroughly considered, on a preliminary basis.
At its 2nd meeting, on 24 April 2008, the Ad Hoc Committee adopted its report (A/63/55), to which was annexed the coordinator's summary of the preliminary observations made in the informal consultations. As reflected in paragraph 31 of the report, the Ad Hoc Committee decided to recommend that, at its sixty-third session of the General Assembly, the Sixth Committe establish a working group with a view to finalizing its deliberations on the draft statutes of the United Nations Dispute Tribunal and the United Nations Appeals Tribunal as a priority, bearing in mind resolution 62/228, in which the General Assembly decided to establish a two-tier formal system of administration of justice as from 1 January 2009, and continue the discussion of the other legal aspects of the administration of justice at the United Nations.
Three rounds of intersessional informal consultations were held from 12 to 16 May, from 9 to 12 June and from 30 June to 3 July 2008.
In compliance with General Assembly decision 62/551, the Ad Hoc Committee held a third plenary meeting on 5 August 2008. The Committee was re-established for the sole purpose of taking note of the oral report of the coordinator on the intersessional informal consultations and to reques the Secretary-General to issue the coordinator's summary on the draft statutes of the Uniterd Nations Dispute Tribunal and the United Nations Appeals Tribunal as an addendum to the report of the Ad Hoc Committee (A/63/55/Add.1).
Second Session
The Ad Hoc Committee held its second session from 20 to 24 April 2009 at United Nations Headquarters in New York, pursuant to General Assembly decision 63/531. The Committee held two plenary meetings, on 20 and 24 April 2009. At its fourth meeting, on 20 April 2009, the Committee decided to proceed with its discussions as a working group of the whole. The Working Group held five meetings, on 20, 21, 22 and 24 April. At its fifth meeting, on 24 April 2009, the Ad Hoc Committee adopted its report (A/64/55). As reflected in paragraph 23 of the report, the Ad Hoc Committee decided to recommend that, at the 64th session of the General Assembly, a working group of the Sixth Committee be established with a view to continuing the discussion on the outstanding legal aspects of the administration of justice at the United Nations, taking into account the deliberations in the Ad Hoc Committee and bearing in mind the decision of the General Assembly to revert to the issue of the scope of the system of administration of justice at its sixty-fifth session, with a view to ensuring that effective remedies are available to all categories of United Nations personnel, with due consideration given to the types of recourse that are the most appropriate to that end.