Uganda Elected Vice President of Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization

Uganda, represented by Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka, has been elected Vice President of the Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization (AALCO) during its 62nd Annual Session in Bangkok, Thailand. This year’s session is held under the theme “Advancing the Development of International Law through Asian and African Leadership.”   

AALCO, originally established as the Asian Legal Consultative Committee (ALCC), was constituted on November 15, 1956, as a direct result of the historic Bandung Conference in Indonesia in April 1955. The founding member states included Burma (now Myanmar), Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), India, Indonesia, Iraq, Japan, and the United Arab Republic (now Egypt and Syria).

The organization’s name was changed in 1958 to the Asia-African Legal Consultative Committee to incorporate African countries. In 2001, it was renamed the Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization (AALCO), reflecting its expanded role and status. AALCO’s primary objective is to serve as an advisory body on international law to its member states and to foster Asian-African cooperation on legal issues of common concern.   

In his address, Attorney General Kiwanuka expressed his sincere gratitude for the session for entrusting Uganda with the responsibility of Vice Presidency of the 62nd Session of AALCO and promised that the country will do its best to deliver in the new role that she has assumed today.

He highlighted the historical Eurocentric perspective on international law, where Asia and Africa were often viewed as passive participants rather than active contributors.  He explained today, Asia and Africa are seen as formidable subjects of international law and equal members of the international community.  

"I commend AALCO for forging many close connections with the United Nations and its agencies plus several intergovernmental organizations such as the Commonwealth Secretariat and the African Union,” added Kiryowa. He also acknowledged AALCO’s notable achievements, such as the launch of the Integrated Scheme for Settlement of Disputes in Economic and Commercial Transactions.

He reaffirmed Uganda’s commitment to supporting AALCO as a platform for harmonizing legal actions between Asia and Africa and wished the session productive deliberations.