United Nations Diplomatic Conferences of Plenipotentiaries (established on the recommendation of the Sixth Committee) United Nations Diplomatic Conferences of Plenipotentiaries (established on the recommendation of the Sixth Committee)

Last update: February 5, 2026

United Nations Diplomatic Conference of Plenipotentiaries on Protection of Persons in the Event of Disasters

Background

International Law Commission (2008–2016)

At its fifty-ninth session, in 2007, the International Law Commission decided to include the topic “Protection of persons in the event of disasters” in its programme of work and appointed Eduardo Valencia-Ospina as Special Rapporteur for the topic. At its sixtieth, sixty-first, sixty-second, sixty-third, sixty-fourth, sixty-fifth, sixty-sixth, sixty-seventh and sixty-eighth sessions, from 2008 to 2016, the Commission considered the topic on the basis of eighth reports of the Special Rapporteur. Also at its sixty-sixth session in 2014, the Commission adopted on first reading a set of 21 draft articles, together with commentaries thereto, on the protection of persons in the event of disasters. In accordance with articles 16 to 21 of its statute, the Commission decided to transmit the draft articles on the protection of persons in the event of disasters, through the Secretary-General, to Governments, competent international organizations, the International Committee of the Red Cross and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies for comments and observations.

At its sixty-eighth session, in 2016, the Commission considered the eighth report of the Special Rapporteur, as well as comments and observations received from Governments, international organizations and other entities. At the same session, the Commission adopted, on second reading, the entire set of draft articles on protection of persons in the event of disasters, comprising a draft preamble and 18 draft articles, together with commentaries thereto. The Commission decided, in conformity with article 23 of its statute, to recommend to the General Assembly the elaboration of a convention on the basis of the draft articles on the protection of persons in the event of disasters (see paragraph 46 of the Commission’s report on the work of its sixth-eighth session, document A/71/10).

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Sixth Committee (2016–2025)

At its seventy-first session, in 2016, the General Assembly, by resolution 71/141 of 13 December 2016, under the item entitled “Report of the International Law Commission on the work of its sixty-eighth session”, took note of the draft articles on the protection of persons in the event of disasters contained in chapter IV of the report of the Commission on the work of its sixty-eighth session and invited Governments to submit comments concerning the recommendation by the Commission to elaborate a convention on the basis of these articles. The Assembly also decided to include in the provisional agenda of its seventy-third session an item entitled “Protection of persons in the event of disaster”. The Sixth Committee also considered the topic at its seventy-third, seventy-fifth, seventy-sixth, seventy-eighth, seventy-ninth and eightieth sessions.

At its seventy-sixth session, in 2021, the Assembly, by resolution 76/199 of 9 December 2021, decided to examine the draft articles and to consider further the recommendation of the Commission for the elaboration of a convention by the General Assembly or by an international conference of plenipotentiaries on the basis of the draft articles, or any other potential course of action with respect to the draft articles, also in the light of the views and comments expressed in the debates of the Sixth Committee, as well as the comments and observations received from Governments, within the framework of a working group of the Committee, to be convened for four full consecutive days at the seventy-eighth (2023) and seventy-ninth (2024) sessions of the Assembly. The Assembly also decided that the working group would report to the Sixth Committee at the seventy-ninth (2024) session of the General Assembly on the outcome of its deliberations, with a view to the Committee making a recommendation to the Assembly as to any further action to take in respect of the draft articles.

At its seventy-ninth session, in 2024, by resolution 79/128 of 4 December 2024, the General Assembly decided, inter alia, to elaborate and conclude a legally binding instrument on the protection of persons in the event of disasters, without prejudice to the legal effects of any particular provisions contained therein, by the end of 2027 at the latest, at the dates and location and in accordance with the modalities to be determined by the General Assembly at its eightieth session. The Assembly also decided that the Sixth Committee would resume its session for up to five days by the end of April 2026 at the latest, in order to prepare a consolidated text including the draft articles and the proposals submitted by Governments in accordance with paragraph 6 [of the resolution], within the framework of a working group of the Committee. The Assembly invited Governments to submit to the Secretary-General, no later than 31 December 2025, proposals for amendments to the draft articles, with a view to preparing the consolidated text that would serve as the basis for the negotiations of the legally binding instrument, and requested the Secretary-General to submit a compilation of all the proposals received to the working group. At the same session, the Sixth Committee took note of the reports of the working group, including the Chair's summary of the deliberations in the working group, at the seventy-eighth and seventy-ninth sessions.

At its eightieth session, in 2025, by resolution 80/169 of 15 December 2025, the General Assembly decided to convene the United Nations Conference of Plenipotentiaries on Protection of Persons in the Event of Disasters, to meet for three weeks from 25 January to 12 February 2027 in Manila, and, if necessary, for a further two weeks in August 2027, to elaborate and conclude a legally binding instrument on the protection of persons in the event of disasters, without prejudice to the legal effects of any particular provisions contained therein. The Assembly also decided to convene a preparatory committee for the Conference, to meet from 31 August to 4 September 2026.

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