On 16 October 2015 the United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Serpa Soares, participated in a conference which reviewed the contribution of international law to the achievement of the United Nations’ aims on the occasion of its 70th anniversary. The day-long conference, which took place at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, London, was organised by Chatham House with the support of the Office of Legal Affairs. The discussions took place through four panels, comprised of recognised practitioners from the fields of international law, academia, governments and the NGO sector. The themes addressed by the panels focused on the use of force by States; the success of human rights laws and institutions in achieving the UN’s goals; the role of the ICJ and the international criminal tribunals; and how international law might help in making better progress on the promotion of economic and social rights.

In opening the conference Mr. Serpa Soares emphasized the advantages inherent to multilateralism, pointing out that a rules based world order lies at the basis of the international system. He added that one of the clearest features of the new world order is that borders matter less, that we live in an age of inter-connectedness, and it is our goal to work through international institutions and international law to improve global governance. He also said that, while much attention is paid to the peace and security pillar, we must not forget the two other pillars – Development and Human Rights. He highlighted that the United Nations has been central to the beginning and the progression of work in these areas.