On 23 April 2018, the United Nations Legal Counsel, Mr. Serpa Soares, hosted the leadership of the American Bar Association (ABA), led by its President, Ms. Hilary Bass and its President-elect, Mr. Robert Carlson at United Nations Headquarters. Founded in 1878, the ABA is one of the world’s largest voluntary professional organizations, with over 400,000 members and more than 3,500 entities.

Once every year, the President and senior officials of the ABA travel to New York to be hosted by the Legal Counsel of the United Nations in the traditional “ABA Day at the UN”.

In his remarks this year, Mr. Serpa Soares expressed his recognition for the support for the work of the United Nations demonstrated by the ABA, particularly in the promotion of the Rule of Law, the support of the legal profession and the advancement of justice and human rights.

During the event, representatives of different areas of the United Nations shared with the participants their views and experience on several key contemporary issues, including the Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator in the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Ms. Ursula Müller, Senior Manager, Anti-Corruption and Global Governance of the United Nations Global Compact, Ms. Christina Koulias; and Ms. Kadiatou Sall-Beye, representative of the International Telecommunication Union.

Also, the ABA Delegation heard briefings by Assistant-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, Mr. Stephen Mathias and by members of the Office of the Legal Counsel, as well as Mr. Jay Pozenel, Director of the General Legal Division.

Over lunch, the Permanent Representative of Mexico to the United Nations, Ambassador Juan Jose Gómez Camacho addressed the ABA delegation. The activities continued in the afternoon, when the participants were received at the Permanent Mission of the US to the United Nations.