His Excellency Dr Kamalinne Pinitpuvadol, Secretary-General of the Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization (AALCO), undertook an official visit to Rome, Italy, from 25 to 29 May 2026 to participate in the Centenary celebrations of the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT), the International Workshop on Transnational Law and Cooperation of International Organisations, and the 107th Session of the UNIDROIT Governing Council.
The visit marked an important occasion in the longstanding institutional relationship between AALCO and UNIDROIT, as both organisations commemorated significant anniversaries in 2026: the Centenary of UNIDROIT and the Seventieth Anniversary of AALCO.
Participation in the UNIDROIT Centenary International Workshop
On 25 and 26 May 2026, the Secretary-General participated in the UNIDROIT Centenary International Workshop on “Transnational Law and Cooperation of International Organisations,” held at the historic Villa Aldobrandini, the headquarters of UNIDROIT in Rome.
The Workshop brought together senior representatives of international organisations, government officials, academics, practitioners and experts to examine the evolving role of transnational law and the importance of closer institutional cooperation in the development, dissemination and implementation of international legal standards.
The Secretary-General served as a panellist in the session on “Vertical Cooperation in the Implementation of Standards and Rules.” In his intervention, he shared AALCO’s experience in bridging global norm-setting processes with regional dialogue, domestic implementation and capacity-building across Asia and Africa.
He observed that international legal instruments cannot achieve their full effectiveness merely through adoption at the international level. Their practical success depends on whether they are understood by national authorities, translated into domestic legal and institutional frameworks, applied by courts and practitioners, and made accessible to businesses, communities and other stakeholders.
The Secretary-General emphasised that vertical cooperation should not be viewed as a one-way process flowing only from international institutions to States. Experiences arising from domestic implementation must also be brought back into international discussions and norm-setting processes. Such two-way engagement helps ensure that international legal standards remain inclusive, practical and responsive to different legal traditions, institutional capacities and levels of development.
He also highlighted AALCO’s role as a regional intergovernmental organisation serving as a bridge between international legal institutions and the perspectives of Asian and African States. Through its Annual Sessions, legal forums, regional arbitration centres, capacity-building activities and engagement with partner institutions, AALCO contributes to the dissemination and practical understanding of transnational legal instruments among its Member States.
Highlighting AALCO-UNIDROIT Cooperation
During the Workshop, the Secretary-General drew attention to the close and longstanding cooperation between AALCO and UNIDROIT.
Representatives of the UNIDROIT Secretariat have participated in AALCO Annual Sessions as observers since 1971, contributing to greater awareness among AALCO Member States of UNIDROIT’s work in the harmonisation and modernisation of international private and commercial law.
A major milestone in the relationship between the two organisations was the signing of the AALCO–UNIDROIT Memorandum of Understanding on 16 February 2024. The Memorandum provides a framework for practical cooperation through reciprocal participation in meetings, joint seminars and academic initiatives, technical exchanges, research cooperation, scholarship and internship opportunities, and capacity-building activities for the benefit of AALCO Member States.
The Secretary-General also referred to the joint Side Event held during the 63rd Annual Session of AALCO in Kampala, Uganda, in September 2025, entitled “UNIDROIT’s Cooperation with AALCO and on Instruments on Access to Credit.” The event demonstrated the practical relevance of UNIDROIT instruments to developing economies, particularly in promoting legal certainty, access to finance, financial inclusion, sustainable growth and economic resilience.
He further noted the importance of UNIDROIT’s work in areas such as the Cape Town Convention and its Protocols, the UNIDROIT Principles of International Commercial Contracts, access to credit, digital assets, voluntary carbon credits, agricultural investment, corporate sustainability due diligence and other emerging areas of private law.
Participation in the 107th Session of the UNIDROIT Governing Council
From 27 to 29 May 2026, the Secretary-General participated in the 107tth Session of the UNIDROIT Governing Council in the capacity of Observer on behalf of AALCO.
During the session on “Cooperation with Other International Organisations,” the Secretary-General expressed AALCO’s appreciation to UNIDROIT for inviting the Organisation to participate in the Governing Council session and reaffirmed the importance AALCO attaches to its cooperation with UNIDROIT.
He welcomed the recognition of AALCO–UNIDROIT cooperation in UNIDROIT’s 2025 Annual Report, particularly the participation of Prof. Anna Veneziano, Deputy Secretary-General of UNIDROIT, in the 63rd Annual Session of AALCO and the joint Side Event on instruments relating to access to credit.
The Secretary-General also conveyed AALCO’s hope of welcoming representatives of the UNIDROIT Secretariat to the forthcoming Annual Session of AALCO to be organised in cooperation with the Government of the Republic of Iraq in Baghdad.
In his remarks, the Secretary-General underlined that cooperation among international legal organisations is becoming increasingly important in addressing challenges relating to digital trade, artificial intelligence, data governance, sustainable finance, cross-border commerce and emerging technologies.
He referred to the valuable cooperation among UNIDROIT, UNCITRAL and the Hague Conference on Private International Law, including the Tripartite Legal Guide to Uniform Instruments in the Area of International Commercial Contracts, the coordination arrangements among their Secretariats, and the UNCITRAL-UNIDROIT Model Law on Warehouse Receipts. These initiatives provide tangible examples of institutional coordination aimed at promoting coherence and avoiding fragmentation in international commercial law.
Looking Ahead
The Secretary-General congratulated UNIDROIT on the remarkable occasion of its Centenary and commended its sustained contribution over the past one hundred years to the harmonisation and modernisation of international private and commercial law.
He reaffirmed AALCO’s commitment to further strengthening cooperation with UNIDROIT through joint legal dialogue, capacity-building, research, academic exchanges, participation in each other’s institutional activities and closer engagement on issues of common interest.
The visit provided a valuable opportunity to deepen the institutional partnership between AALCO and UNIDROIT and to advance their shared objective of promoting a more inclusive, coherent, effective and universally accessible international legal order.
Bilateral Meeting with the Director-General of IDLO
On the margins of the UNIDROIT Centenary celebrations and the 107th Session of the Governing Council, the Secretary-General also held a bilateral meeting with H.E. Mr. Jan Beagle, Director-General of the International Development Law Organization (IDLO).
The meeting provided an excellent opportunity to reaffirm the longstanding and cordial relationship between AALCO and IDLO and to exchange views on areas of mutual interest, particularly the promotion of the rule of law, capacity-building, legal education, and technical assistance for developing countries across Asia and Africa.
The Secretary-General highlighted AALCO’s unique role as an intergovernmental legal organization dedicated to the progressive development and codification of international law, and explored opportunities for enhanced cooperation between the two organizations in support of their shared commitment to strengthening the rule of law and promoting sustainable development.
The discussions also recalled the Memorandum of Understanding between AALCO and IDLO and considered practical avenues for its implementation, including the organization of joint conferences, training programmes, expert dialogues, research initiatives, and other collaborative activities that would benefit AALCO Member States.
Both sides expressed their appreciation for the constructive exchange and reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening institutional cooperation in the years ahead.
