Recent Developments
Report of the Charter Committee
16 March 2023 Report of the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization is now available (A/78/33).
Charter Committee (2023 session)
21 February 2023 In accordance with the GA resolution 77/109 of 7 December 2022, the 2023 session of the Special Committee will be held from 21 February to 1 March 2023.
Sixth Committee (77th session)
8 December 2022 The list of resolutions and decisions adopted by the General Assembly, on 7 December 2022, on items allocated to the Sixth Committee at the 77th session are now available on the Sixth Committee website.
According to Article 13, paragraph (1)(a), of the Charter of the United Nations, the General Assembly is mandated to encourage the progressive development of international law and its codification. The progressive development of international law encompasses the drafting of legal rules in fields that have not yet been regulated by international law or sufficiently addressed in State practice. In contrast, the codification of international law refers to the more precise formulation and systematization of rules of international law on subjects that have already been extensively covered by State practice, precedent and doctrine.
The Codification Division of the United Nations Office of Legal Affairs assists the General Assembly in carrying out the above-mentioned mandate, in particular by providing substantive secretariat services to relevant bodies established by the Assembly, such as the International Law Commission, as well as the Assembly’s Sixth (Legal) Committee, and to diplomatic conferences of plenipotentiaries convened to negotiate multilateral treaties. The Codification Division also assists in the precise formulation and systematization of rules of international law by preparing analytical research studies in various fields of international law. It promotes the universal respect for international law, especially by providing the legislative (legal bodies) of the General Assembly with assistance in enhancing compliance of States with their obligations under the Charter or other legal instruments, or under general international law. The Codification Division also encourages and facilitates the teaching, study, dissemination and wider appreciation of international law, by planning and implementing the Programme of Assistance in the Teaching, Study, Dissemination and Wider Appreciation of International Law.
This website provides access to information on the work of the various bodies established to carry-out the General Assembly’s mandate to encourage the progressive development and codification of international law such as the Sixth (Legal) Committee and the International Law Commission. It also provides access to information on the different activities of the Programme of Assistance, including the training courses in international law offered by the United Nations, the Audiovisual Library of International Law, and the publications prepared by the Codification Division.