law

The United Nations has greatly expanded its work on the rule of law, from strengthening police services to supporting constitutional processes, but the expansion is still not sufficient to meet the needs of Member States, Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro said today.

The United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) today welcomed Australia’s adoption of legislation – based on the Commission’s model – on cross-border insolvency.

General Assembly President Srgjan Kerim paid tribute to the International Law Commission (ILC) on its sixtieth anniversary today, describing it as “a living testament to the importance that the General Assembly attaches to the progressive development of international law and its codification.”

Marking the twenty-fifth anniversary of the opening for signature of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the Deputy Secretary-General today called on States to work together to protect the marine environment which is under increasing pressure from human activities.

Bringing all aspects of United Nations support for rule of law – the police, the judiciary and corrections – under the authority of one office not only helps improve efficiency but also ties in with the world body’s longer term goal of building sustainability in a nation’s rule of law sector, the two senior UN officials responsible for this area said today.

The United Nations International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) today welcomed news that authorities in the Russian Federation have released a Japanese fishing vessel and its crew – detained for alleged illegal fishing in Russian waters – in line with a Tribunal decision earlier this month.

The United Nations International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) today ordered Russian authorities to release a Japanese fishing vessel it had detained for alleged illegal fishing in Russian waters but turned down Japan’s application to release a second vessel.

The United Nations International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea today commenced a hearing on cases involving two Japanese fishing vessels.

Uncertainty on how to deal with marine genetic resources beyond national jurisdictions is restricting research and utilization of such resources, several experts have told a United Nations meeting taking place this week at UN Headquarters in New York.

Several countries called for adopting a precautionary approach to the fragile marine environment as one week of talks on how best to manage and protect the world’s marine genetic resources opened at the United Nations.