AALCO@70: Reminiscences, Reflections, and Prospects

 

Concept Note

AALCO@70: Reminiscences, Reflections, and Prospects

 

1. Aims

As 2026 marks the 70th anniversary of the Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization (AALCO), AALCO@70: Reminiscences, Reflections, and Prospects is conceived as a flagship commemorative publication designed to capture the Organization’s historical legacy, reflect on its significant contributions to international law, and explore its future role. The publication has the following three interrelated aims:

Reminiscences: To preserve and present AALCO’s institutional memory through its defining milestones and statements of Chief Guests since its inception.

Reflections: To assess AALCO’s contributions to the codification and progressive development of international law across thematic domains.

Prospects:  To articulate a principled vision of AALCO’s evolving role in addressing contemporary global challenges.

Anchored in AALCO’s commitment to the codification and progressive development of international law from an Afro-Asian perspective, the publication will underscore the organization’s normative influence and intellectual legacy over the last seven decades of its existence.

2. Structure

Part 1: AALCO’s Institutional Journey: Milestones and Chief Guests Statements

• Key milestones in AALCO’s history
• Seven decades of Chief Guests Statements

Part 2: AALCO’s Annual Sessions: Institutional Legacy

• Chronology and reference tables capturing details of Annual Sessions, participating Member States, Non-Member States and International Organizations, year, host country, host city, Presidency and Secretariat.

Part 3: AALCO and International Law: Substantive Contributions to International Legal Discourse

• Cluster based assessment of AALCO’s thematic engagements on different topics.

Part 4: AALCO and the Future: Prospects

• AALCO’s role in addressing contemporary challenges like cyber security, artificial intelligence, outer space, energy transition, sustainable development, climate change, international investment etc.

• The continued need for South-South legal cooperation.

3. Launch

The publication is proposed to be launched at the 64^th Annual Session of AALCO as a flagship commemorative work.