AALCO Statutes

ASIAN-AFRICAN LEGAL CONSULTATIVE ORGANIZATION (AALCO)

Statutes and Statutory Rules


Statutes

The original Statutes of the Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization were drawn up in 1956. Efforts have been made from time to time, especially since 1972, to revise the Statutes to bring them into conformity with the changed structure of the Organization.  At the Twenty-second Session of the Organization, held in Colombo in May 1981, action was initiated to revise the Statutes on an urgent basis which culminated in the preparation of a revised text of the Statutes by an inter-sessional meeting held in New Delhi in September 1985.  The matter was discussed at the Arusha Session in February 1986 and thereafter a communication was sent to all member governments for their acceptance of the text drawn up at the inter-sessional meeting.

The text of the Statutes as drawn up at the inter-sessional meeting held in New Delhi in September 1985 was thereafter approved at the Twenty sixth Session of the Organization held in Bangkok in January 1987.  The Statutes were adopted on January 12, 1987 and have since abrogated the Statutes drawn up in 1956.

At the Forty-Third Session held in Bali, Indonesia in June 2004, the Member States adopted a Revised text of the Statutes vid RES/43/ORG7 Dated 25 June 2004. Following the proposal of Ghana made at the Forty-First session on the Revision of AALCO’s Statutes and Statutory Rules, a Committee comprising 15 Member States was constituted to consider the Revision of Statutes. The recommendations of the Committee were presented at the Forty-Third session and the Draft Revised text of Statutes was unanimously adopted. One of the most important revision was the extended term of the Secretary-General, from the present three year term to a four year term, which in effect would increase the number of years from six to eight Consequently, Statutory Rule 20(1) relating to the increase in term of the Secretary-General was amended in conformity with the new article 3 and circulated to Member States on 5 July 2004.The Secretary-General thanked all the members of the Committee and it was a result of their efforts that a report on the subject was given at the Bali session. As mandated the work on the revision of the Statutory Rules had been taken up by the Secretariat.

Text of the Statutes

Statutory Rules

The Statutory Rules of the Organization which were drawn up in April 1957 had virtually remained unaltered over the years inspite of major changes in the functioning of the Organization.  A decision was taken at the Colombo Session, held in 1981, that the Rules should be revised to conform to the pattern suited for an international organization taking into account the body of practice which had already emerged.  At the Kathmandu Session, held in February 1985, it was decided to entrust the task of revision of the Statutory Rules to an inter-sessional Meeting.  The meeting was held in New Delhi in September 1985 which was able to adopt the revised version of the Rules 1 to 3. That meeting had also requested the Liaison Officers to prepare a revised text of the remaining provisions of the Rules for consideration of the Organization at its Arusha Session.  At that Session it was pointed out that the Organization itself would have to undertake the task of revision of the Rules. 

A Working Group of the Whole established at the Twenty-sixth Session of the Organization held in Bangkok in January 1987, substantially improved upon the text of the draft statutory rules drawn up by the Liaison Officers.  The report of the Working Group of the whole was considered at the Twenty seventh Session of the Organization; held in Singapore in 1987.  During that session Rule 20 relating to the Secretary-General was adopted.  Thereafter at the Twenty-Eighth Session the text of Rules was adopted in February 1987 and the Rules were brought into force w.e.f. 1st May, 1989. 

At the Forty-Third Session held in Bali, Indonesia, June 2004, the Member States Mandated the Secretary General after due consultation with the Committee of Liaison Officer for the revision of Statutes and Statutory Rules, to prepare revised draft of the Statutory Rules prior to the Forty-Fourth Session.

Text of the Statutory Rules