AALCO Factsheet

AALCO has forty-seven countries as its Member States comprising almost all the major States from Asia and Africa. These countries are: Arab Republic of Egypt; Bahrain; Bangladesh; Brunei Darussalam; Cameroon; Cyprus; Democratic People’s Republic of Korea; The Gambia; Ghana; India; Indonesia; Iraq; Islamic Republic of Iran; Japan; Jordan; Kenya; Kuwait; Lebanon; Libya; Malaysia; Mauritius; Mongolia; Myanmar; Nepal; Nigeria; Oman; Pakistan; People’s Republic of China; Qatar; Republic of Korea; Saudi Arabia; Senegal; Sierra Leone; Singapore; Somalia; South Africa, Sri Lanka; State of Palestine; Republic of Philippines; Sudan; Syria; Tanzania; Thailand; Turkey; Uganda; Socialist Republic of Vietnam and Republic of Yemen.

 
 

 

AALCO – an inter-governmental organization has contributed significantly in forging Asian African cooperation on international legal matters. For the last 60 years, the Bandung Spirit has continued to remain a source of inspiration for the Member-States of AALCO, in their quest for creating an egalitarian and just international legal order.  AALCO is a forum for consultation on matters of common concerns to its Member States, and also acts as an advisory body, providing assistance to its Member States in matters of international law in the light of their particular interests.

AALCO organizes Annual Sessions which are usually hosted by a Member State on the basis of rotation between the two regional groups, Asia and Africa, to the extent possible. The Member-States are represented by high ranking diplomats and legal experts in the Annual Session. In addition, many Observer delegations representing governments and international organizations from across the globe participate in the deliberations.

AALCO has five Regional Arbitration Centers which are located at Cairo (Arab Republic of Egypt), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Lagos (Nigeria), Tehran (Islamic Republic of Iran) and Nairobi (Kenya). The respective Host Governments recognize the Centers’ independent status and have accorded to them privileges and immunities. Each Centre is headed by a Director, appointed by the Host Government in consultation with the Secretary-General of AALCO. The Directors of the Centers present their reports on the functioning of the Centers at the Annual Sessions.

 

 

AALCO Secretariat provides facilities for training of officials from the Member States engaged in international law matters. It can be through short-term attachment with the Secretariat or participating in the training course organized by the Secretariat. At AALCO’s Forty-First Session held in Abuja in July 2002, it was decided to rename the Data Collection Unit in the Secretariat as the Centre for Research and Training. The activities of the Centre, besides research on international law matters, include expanding the training facilities in the Secretariat with a view to disseminate information on its activities and the recent developments in international law, 

 

 

AALCO provides a neutral forum for its member countries. The Organization has also established close relations with the United Nations specialized agencies and some intergovernmental organizations, and has concluded formal cooperation agreements / Memorandum of Understanding with them. These agreements provide for mutual consultation, exchange of documentation, and the right to representation at each other’s meetings. They facilitate joint organization of seminars and workshops on the areas of mutual interests. AALCO also works in close co-operation with many organizations.

 

 

AALCO has more than 22 MoUs with international/regional/national organizations/ universities/institutes having direct or indirect mandate on international law.

 

The Organization’s finances are met from three sources, namely: (i) The annual budget, contributions for which come from all Member States; (ii) Voluntary contributions, which may be made by any Member State/s including contribution in the form of deputation of officers; and (iii) Special budget for specific purposes such as for the Arabic Fund. All members are committed to contribute towards the annual budget. The share of each Member’s contribution is decided on the basis of an agreed scale as per the economic situation of each Member State.

 

 

 

AALCO has been publishing its AALCO Journal of International Law (since 2012), Year Book of AALCO (since 2003), AALCO Special Studies (since 2005), AALCO Quarterly Bulletin (since 2005), Annual Report (since 1957) Verbatim Records of the Meeting (since 2007) and Workshop / seminar reports (since 1996).