Sixth Committee, 24th plenary meeting United Nations General Assembly, 81st session

Dr. Ernest Nana Adjei
Minister Plenipotentiary
22^rd October, 2026
Trusteeship Council Chamber,
United Nations, New York

REPORT OF THE CHAIR OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON THE UNITED NATIONS PROGRAMME OF ASSISTANCE ON THE TEACHING, STUDY, DISEMMINATION AND WIDER APPRECIATION OF INTERNATIONAL LAW

DURING THE SIXTH COMMITTEE’S CONSIDERATION OF THE AGENDA ITEM AT THE EIGHTY-FIRST SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Mr. Chairman, I thank you for giving me the floor.

I have the honour to address the Sixth Committee and report on the work of the sixtieth session of the Advisory Committee on the United Nations Programme of Assistance in the Teaching, Study, Dissemination and Wider Appreciation of International Law held during the morning of 6th October, 2026. I encourage delegations to refer to the report of the Secretary-General contained in document A/81/417 for the full version of the Committee’s report.

As indicated during the session, the Committee expressed its strong support for the Programme of Assistance, as well as its deep concern at the impact of the liquidity situation of the Organization on the Programme and its activities. Members of the Committee expressed the hope that voluntary contributions would continue to be made, while emphasizing the importance of regular budget funding for the Programme of Assistance.

Pursuant to its mandate, the Advisory Committee reviewed the activities undertaken during the reporting period and took note of proposed activities for the year 2027, including the resulting administrative and financial implications.
The programme of Assistance continues to enjoy the overwhelming support of all members of the Committee who alluded to its intrinsic value to the realization of the principles and purposes of the United Nations Charter, as well as to its contribution to international peace and security, and to promoting friendly relations and co-operation among States.

In my remarks to the Committee, I highlighted the enduring value of legal education and the critical role international law plays in fostering peace, justice and development across all regions. I was pleased to note the general view of the Committee that the Programme of Assistance remains a crucially important tool for enhancing the legal capacities of national experts and more so, for strengthening our collective commitments to peace and development.

The Committee welcomed that the four in-person training programmes conducted under the mandate of the Programme of Assistance were held again during the reporting period at their usual venues. While recognizing the efforts of the Office in ensuring gender and regional balance among participants and lecturers of the training programmes, the Committee underscored the importance of diversity in the languages and legal traditions as well as gender balance, and welcomed the commitments made by the Secretariat in this regard. Similarly, wider geographic representation and gender balance among the participants of the training programmes were emphasized.

The Committee recalled the important role of the Audiovisual Library in the dissemination of information and materials in international law. In that regard, Members encouraged the Office of Legal Affairs to make all efforts to continue the recording, production and publication of lectures on the website of the Audiovisual Library. Proposals were made to increase the accessibility and visibility of the Audiovisual Library, including through the use of artificial intelligence.
The Secretariat informed the Committee of the publications that were issued during this reporting period, as well as those that are in preparation. In that regard, the Committee welcomed efforts towards disseminating information and materials in international law, particularly in printed format, and suggested exploring further opportunities for dissemination.
It was also noted that the Hamilton Shirley Amerasinghe Memorial Fellowship on the Law of the Sea was awarded in 2026.

The Committee expressed its support for the funding of the activities of the Programme from the regular budget of the Organization, while also highlighting the importance of voluntary contributions for expanding and enhancing the activities. In this respect, I wish to re-iterate the Committee’s appreciation for the contributions received from Austria, Azerbaijan, China, Cyprus, Dominican Republic, Greece, Ireland, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, and the United Kingdom.
The Committee also acknowledges the in-kind contributions of Member States, the African Union, the International Court of Justice, UN Regional Commissions, and The Hague Academy of International Law. The Committee is particularly grateful to the host countries of the training programmes for their organisational support which have always been vital to the success of the programmes.

Before bringing my report to a close, allow me to re-iterate Ghana’s long-standing commitment to the realization of the objectives of the Programme of Assistance and our chairmanship of the Advisory Committee. We highly value the support and cooperation demonstrated over the years by all member States and remain committed in our service.
Mr. Kwasi Addo-Yobo, the Legal Adviser of the Permanent Mission of Ghana would be introducing the zero draft at the close of the debate with the intention of undertaking in-person consultations at scheduled times to be indicated by the Secretariat. We look forward to your distinguished participations in the consultations and count on your cooperation.

I thank you for the kind attention.