Uganda ‘s Attorney General , Kiryowa Kiwanuka has taken over office as the new President of the Asian -African Legal consultative Organisation (AALCO) . This was at the 63 annual session taking place in Uganda’s Capital city Kampala.
Kiryowa while speaking at the well attended session called for a united AALCO voice to shape international law and address the global challenges facing the member states .
“Our goal is to build consensus on areas where we have shared interests and common principles so that we can have a unified voice at the world stage ,” he stated .
The AG noted that during the week long session in Kampala, priority areas to be tackled will include the law of the sea, international law ,human rights , refugee crises ,aggression and transboundary conflicts .
Dr. Kamalinne Pinitpuvadol, the Secretary General of AALCO, noted that Kampala holds a special place in the history of the organisation because it is the city where the Kampala Declaration on human rights was adopted 32 years ago in 1993.
“Today , more than three decades later , AALCO returns to Kampala at another critical crossroads of international law and cooperation,” he said.
AALCO, according to Dr. Pinitpuvadol , has grown from seven founding member countries in 1956 to 49 States -calling it the only permanent intergovernmental forum uniting Asia and Africa on matters of international law .
“Our diversity is our strength. The enduring legacy of AALCO rests upon solidarity and trust ,” he noted and urged the delegates to reaffirm the organisations role as the collective voice of Asia and Africa on legal matters.
The outgoing AALCO President Suphanvasa Chotikajan Tang, in a speech read for him by Songchai Chaipatiyut ,expressed confidence in Uganda’s leadership -noting that the country has assumed the AALCO presidency at a time when the organisation remains a strong platform for shaping international law.
