Recent Activities of the Legal Counsel of the United Nations
The Legal Counsel's participation at a roundtable discussion on the R2P concept at the 55th annual meeting of the Russian Association of International Law in Moscow
27 June 2012 – The rule of law is key to the implementation of the
‘responsibility to protect’ principle, often referred to as R2P, and
the prevention of atrocities, a United Nations senior legal official stressed today...
Learn More at the UN News Centre
The Legal Counsel officiates at ceremony to register Treaty of Lisbon
New York, 11 May 2010. — Today, the Treaty of Lisbon amending the Treaty on European Union and
the Treaty establishing the European Community was submitted for registration
with the United Nations Secretariat in accordance with Article 102 of the Charter
of the United Nations by H.E. Mr. Cesare Maria Ragaglini, Ambassador Extraordinary
and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative of Italy to the United Nations, on
behalf of Italy as depositary of the Treaty. The Lisbon Treaty entered into force
on 1 December 2009.
United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, The Legal Counsel,
Ms. Patricia O’Brien, officiated at the ceremony which was held at the Office of
Legal Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat. Ambassador Ragaglini was accompanied
by Mr. Peter Schwaiger, Deputy Head of the Delegation of the European Union and H.E.
Mr. Juan Antonio Yáñez-Barnuevo, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent
Representative of Spain to the United Nations. Spain currently holds the Presidency
of the Council of the European Union.
2010 Meeting of Legal Advisers of Specialized, Related and
other Organizations (UN System)
and
2010 Spring Meeting of Legal Advisers and Legal Liaison Officers
of UN Offices, Funds and Programmes and other entities
Rome, Italy, 6 and 7 May 2010
On 6 and 7 May 2010, the Legal Counsel chaired the 2010 Meeting of
Legal Advisers of the Specialized, Related and other Organizations of
the UN System and the 2010 Spring Meeting of Legal Advisers and Legal
Liaison Officers of the UN Offices, Funds and Programmes, in Rome, Italy.
In an effort to reduce costs and increase synergies it was decided to
hold these meetings back-to-back this year and to have a joint session
of the members of both Networks. By testing this new format, the Legal
Networks are following the Secretary-General’s guidance to try and strive
for enhanced system-wide coherence and efficiency. The change reflects
the strong desire of the Members of the two Legal Networks to fully
embrace the Secretary-General’s call for the United Nations to act and
deliver “as one”. The meetings were co-hosted by the
International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
and the World Food Programme (WFP).
The meetings of these two Legal Networks provide an opportunity for
discussion of legal issues of common interest and concern to the Legal
Advisers of the participating entities. They are held to improve
coordination and communication among the Legal Advisers of the participating
entities and to promote system-wide legal coherence. The meetings
also provide an important opportunity for the Legal Counsel to brief
the Members of the networks on current legal issues facing the organization.
Among the issues on this year’s agenda are the new system of
Administration of Justice, the question of the Responsibility
of International Organizations, legal questions in connection
with the issue of piracy off the coast of Somalia, the question
of the UN’s response to unconstitutional change of government and
the status of the European Union in the United Nations.
Prior to the meetings in Rome the Legal Counsel attended the
opening of the 62nd session of the International Law Commission
in Geneva, Switzerland, and addressed the Commission.
Go To: Past Activities
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