Sixth Committee, 21st plenary meeting - General Assembly, 81st session
Report of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law on the work of its fifty-ninth session - Item 76 (A/81/17)
Administration of justice at the United Nations - Item 150 (A/81/176, A/81/292, A/81/161)
Consideration of effective measures to enhance the protection, security and safety of diplomatic and consular missions and representatives - Item 82 (A/81/209)
Agenda items · 381st session
Item 76
Report of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law on the work of its fifty-ninth session
Item 150
Administration of justice at the United Nations
Item 82
Consideration of effective measures to enhance the protection, security and safety of diplomatic and consular missions and representatives
Source: United Nations (un.org, igov.un.org)
Speaking timeCameroon (7.9%) · Chair (7.4%) · Saint Kitts and Nevis (5.3%) + 29 more
Sixth Committee, 21st meeting of the 81st session. Agenda items taken up: “Report of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law on the work of its fifty-ninth session - Item 76 (A/81/17)”; “Administration of justice at the United Nations - Item 150 (A/81/176, A/81/292, A/81/161)”; “Consideration of effective measures to enhance the protection, security and safety of diplomatic and consular missions and representatives - Item 82 (A/81/209)”. 30 speakers were heard, representing 29 delegations.
Key points
Cameroon welcomed the finalization of the statute on the International Advisory Centre on ISDS, calling it a significant step forward in fairer access to ISDS, in particular for developing countries.
Saint Kitts and Nevis, on behalf of 14 member states of the Caribbean Community, CARICOM, commended the efforts being made to sustain and strengthen the internal justice system at a time of rising demand, institutional change, and liquidity constraints.
Canada, on behalf of CANZ countries, being Australia, New Zealand, commended the Dispute Tribunal, Appeals Tribunal, Office of Administration of Justice, Office of the Ombudsman and Mediation Services, Office of Staff Legal Assistance and other actors for what they had accomplished in the past year despite compounding challenges.
Statement by statement · 30 speakers
🇵🇦 Panama
Panama stated that Panama has been a member of the Commission until 2028 and maintains a strong commitment to its mandate, and that harmonization must not undermine the autonomy of states to include results in their domestic law.
Panama said that reform of the dispute settlement system between investors and states in Working Group 3 must lead to a more balanced system, with efficient procedures, independence and impartiality of decision makers, and more consistency in decisions.
🇸🇬 Singapore
Singapore reaffirmed strong support for the Commission, which it said continues to make important contributions to strengthening the rules based multilateral system.
Singapore commended the Commission's adoption of the Anti Trial Supplementary Provisions, the finalization of the draft statute of the Advisory Center on International Investment Dispute Resolution, and a set of texts on recognition and enforcement of arbitral awards and notices in arbitration in electronic form.
Singapore welcomed the progress reports on ongoing projects, supported the Commission's work program, and said it would continue to engage constructively in Working Group 3 to advance remaining investor state dispute settlement reforms.
🇮🇩 Indonesia
Indonesia welcomed the approval of the Statute of the Advisory Centre on International Investment Dispute Resolution and the adoption of the supplementary provisions on the conduct of proceedings to resolve international investment disputes, and looked forward to their implementation.
Indonesia announced its candidature for re-election to the Commission for the term 2028 to 2034, and said it counted on the support of member states.
🇹🇭 Thailand
Thailand reiterated its strong commitment and readiness to host the headquarters of the Advisory Center on International Investment Dispute Resolution in Bangkok, noting that it was the first country to formally offer to host the center and has started working closely with Morocco on the dual headquarters approach.
Thailand stressed the importance it attaches to ISDS reform under Working Group 3, welcoming the completion of UNCITRAL supplementary provisions on the conduct of proceedings to resolve international investment disputes.
Thailand stated that the Commission's future work program should take due account of interlinkages among projects and working group capacity, and that it supports flexible arrangements for meetings balancing effective negotiations, efficient use of resources and equal participation by all states.
🇯🇵 Japan
Japan highlighted the project on the stocktaking of developments in dispute resolution in the digital economy, noting that working group two had concluded its work with the adoption of a text on recognition and enforcement of arbitral awards and use of notices of arbitration in electronic form.
Japan stated that Japan would continue to support the ongoing stock taking project and had contributed the necessary funds to implement it so far.
Japan noted that Japan hosted the first commemorative event for the 60th anniversary of the establishment of UNCITRAL in July 2026, as part of Japan International Arbitration Week, and intended to deepen its cooperation with UNCITRAL.
🇻🇳 Viet Nam
Viet Nam welcomed the finalization of the draft statute of the Advisory Centre on International Investment Dispute Resolution and the adoption of the supplementary provisions on the conduct of proceedings to resolve international investment disputes, calling them important progress.
Viet Nam welcomed the candidacies of Thailand and Morocco for the location of the center's headquarters and supported continued consultations among member states to reach a mutually acceptable solution.
Viet Nam welcomed the opening for signature of the United Nations Convention on Negotiable Cargo Documents in Accra, Ghana in October 2026, and expressed appreciation to the government of Ghana for hosting the event.
🇵🇰 Pakistan
Pakistan welcomed the significant progress achieved during the 59th session of the Commission, including finalization of the draft statute of the Advisory Center on International Investment Dispute Resolution and adoption of supplementary provisions.
Pakistan underscored the importance of prioritizing discussions on the issue of damage in the Working Group three ISDS reform work, saying reforms must balance the rights and obligations of both states and investors.
🇨🇲 Cameroon · on behalf of African group
Cameroon welcomed the finalization of the statute on the International Advisory Centre on ISDS, calling it a significant step forward in fairer access to ISDS, in particular for developing countries.
Cameroon called for stepped-up consultations between states to reach consensus soon on the choice of the centre's headquarters and regional offices, guided by geographical distribution, access and inclusiveness, with particular attention to developing countries, in particular Africa.
Cameroon welcomed the planned signing of the UN Convention on Negotiable Cargo Documents in Accro Ghana in October this year.
🇨🇴 Colombia
Colombia welcomed the adoption by consensus of the complementary provisions of Antitral on conducting procedures for the resolution of international disputes, calling it a significant step forward in the work of the reform of the system of investor state dispute resolution.
Colombia underscored the importance of the Advisory Centre on International Investment Dispute Resolution, saying its design and functioning should effectively respond to the needs of member states and facilitate timely, effective and sustainable access to its services, in particular for developing countries.
Colombia reiterated its support for the work of UNCITRAL and its conviction that multilateral cooperation, legal harmonisation and capacity building remain essential elements.
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia welcomed the progress made in promoting a legal framework of international trade, enhancing legal certainty and facilitating cross-border trade and investment transactions.
Saudi Arabia reiterated the importance of continuing the work on arbitral awards in electronic form and on updating texts on international arbitration in a transparent, consensual manner, taking into consideration the sovereignty of states and their judicial jurisprudence.
🇮🇷 Islamic Republic of Iran
Islamic Republic of Iran welcomed the 60th anniversary of the UNCITRAL in 2026 and commended the Commission for its contributions over six decades to the progressive harmonization and modernization of international trade law.
Islamic Republic of Iran underscored that the Advisory Center's statute remains a work in progress in its full operationalization, to be pursued in particular to the benefit of developing countries, and stressed that participation of regional economic integration organizations must remain consistent with the principle of sovereign equality of states.
🇷🇺 Russian Federation
Russian Federation commended the contribution of the Commission to the development of economic cooperation and international private law, and congratulated UNSATRIL on its sixtieth anniversary.
Russian Federation stated that it did not agree with the approach taken by some states whereby regional economic integration organizations might be granted an independent vote in addition to their member states, saying this was not in line with the principle of the sovereign equality of states.
Russian Federation noted the need for a cautious and balanced approach to improving ISDS, based on broad consensus and objective analysis of existing mechanisms, without fundamentally overhauling the system.
🇮🇹 Italy
Italy welcomed the results of the session: finalization of the statute of the Advisory Center International Investment Dispute Resolution, adoption of the supplementary provisions on the conduct of international investment dispute resolution proceedings, and completion of the text on electronic arbitral awards and electronic notices of arbitration.
🇸🇴 Somalia
Somalia welcomed the report of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law on the work of its fifty-ninth session.
Somalia supported the establishment of an effective and accessible advisory center on international investment dispute resolution, providing affordable, high quality legal advice and representation with particular attention to least developed countries and states with limited institutional resources.
🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo welcomed the finalisation of the draft statutes of the Advisory Centre and their adoption by the General Assembly, describing it as a major step forward in the process to reform ISDS.
Democratic Republic of the Congo proposed Kinshasa to host the Africa Regional Bureau of the Advisory Centre, particularly to benefit Central African countries, and stated that equitable geographic representation must be translated concretely into territorial organisation and operationalisation of the centre.
Democratic Republic of the Congo stated that its candidacy rests on a firm political, financial, institutional and diplomatic commitment, including voluntary financial support of 5 million US dollars, and that it stands available for constructive consultations with other African candidate states.
🇲🇦 Morocco
Morocco welcomed the outcome of the fifty-ninth session, in particular the adoption of the supplementary provisions of Uncertral on ISDS proceedings, and the opening for signature on the 26th of October in Accra of the UN Convention on Negotiable Cargo Documents.
Morocco supported adoption of the statutes of the Advisory Centre on ISDS at this session and paid particular attention to the swift, effective start of the centre.
Morocco stated that it would like the advisory centre to be at Rabat, that it had already started necessary domestic steps on logistics, and that Thailand and Morocco had engaged in discussions to be reported to the Commission.
🇧🇩 Bangladesh
Bangladesh supported the Commission's recommendations and amendments to the model law on awards and notices of arbitration in electronic form, which it said confirm that writing today includes the electronic record, and stated that its parliament will consider them when its arbitration act is reviewed.
Bangladesh welcomed the draft statute of the Advisory Center on International Investment Dispute Resolution and supported its adoption by this assembly, and invited the future governing committee to consider transition arrangements for recently graduated countries.
Bangladesh stated that Bangladesh is studying the United Nations Convention on Negotiable Carbon Documents with a view to signature, and supported continued travel assistance for least developed and other developing countries.
🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates proposed future work of the Commission on the legal aspects of the digital economy and digital platforms, possibly in the form of a model law, to put forward harmonized criteria governing digital trade and economy.
United Arab Emirates welcomed the Commission's decision to ask the Secretariat to conduct exploratory work and consultation with experts and relevant organizations and to submit a draft report to the Commission at its session in 2027.
United Arab Emirates stated it joined the UN Convention on Arbitration on eighth october 2026, and submitted its candidacy for membership of the Commission for the period 2028-2034.
🇭🇹 Haiti
Haiti underscored the importance of the draft statute on the advisory centre on ISDS, to be submitted to the GA for adoption, saying it could reduce disparities between states in legal expertise; it encouraged making the centre accessible, operational and financially accessible.
Haiti stressed that harmonising international trade law must be accompanied by attention to the needs of developing countries with limited capacities, and underscored the importance of technical cooperation and assistance, including trainings and accessible resources in French.
🇬🇭 Ghana
Ghana welcomed the finalization of the draft statute of the Advisory Center on International Investment Dispute Resolution and the Commission's recommendation that the General Assembly adopt it, saying the center offers an opportunity to address challenges developing countries face in preventing and managing investment disputes.
Ghana announced that Ghana will host the opening ceremony of the Convention on Negotiable Cargo Documents in Accra on 26 October 2026, followed by an international symposium, and invited all Member States to attend and designate representatives authorized to sign.
Ghana reaffirmed support for the Commission's mandate, stating that it must remain inclusive, responsive to technological changes and attentive to the needs of developing countries, and said Ghana will co-host a side event commemorating the Commission's 60th anniversary.
🇸🇱 Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone welcomed progress on investor state dispute settlement reform, including the finalization and approval of the draft statute of the Avrasic Center on International Investment Dispute Resolution, and said the centre's value would depend on timely, affordable and high quality assistance for developing countries, particularly the least developed.
Sierra Leone stressed that digital trade work, including on digital payments, should aim at a legally certain, interoperable and inclusive environment, and that modernization must not create a new divide between those able to participate in digital commerce and those excluded.
Sierra Leone reaffirmed support for UNCITRAL and a rules based international trading environment grounded in fairness, legal certainty and cooperation, and said implementation and effective participation of developing countries in the Commission's work must remain central.
🇿🇲 Zambia
Zambia welcomed the report of ANSI TRIO contained in document A 81 slash 17, and the continued progress of Working Group Three on investor state dispute settlement reform.
Zambia commended Working Group 4 for completing the draft default rules for data provision contracts, and Working Group 2 on the recognition and enforcement of electronic arbitral awards.
Zambia emphasized the necessity of maintaining the rotational venue framework between Vienna and New York, to accommodate developing states lacking permanent diplomatic missions in Vienna.
🇳🇦 Namibia
Namibia welcomed the progressive and inclusive development of international law reflected in section C, paragraph 310 of the report, noting the announcement that the Accra Convention on Negotiable Cargo Documents will be opened for signature on the 26th of October 2026.
Namibia noted that the Namibian judiciary introduced court accredited mediation in 2014 as an option for alternative dispute resolution, and that Namibia established the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board in 2020 as the first point of contact for investment disputes.
Namibia stated that Namibia cautions against regressive practices of international trade at the expense of a state's development, and that international trade and international law instruments should not be used to undermine the sovereign development of any state.
European Union · on behalf of European Union and its Member States
European Union, on behalf of European Union and its Member States, stressed that an independent, transparent, professionalized, adequately resourced and decentralized system of administration of justice is crucial for upholding the rights of all personnel, promoting accountability, and maintaining the integrity and reputation of the organization.
European Union, on behalf of European Union and its Member States, expressed concern about the increase in cases pending for over 400 days, stating that timeliness is essential to effective remedies.
European Union, on behalf of European Union and its Member States, reiterated its full support for the continued promotion and expansion of the informal first approach and its serious concerns about racism and racial discrimination in the workplace.
🇰🇳 Saint Kitts and Nevis · on behalf of 14 member states of the Caribbean Community, CARICOM
Saint Kitts and Nevis, on behalf of 14 member states of the Caribbean Community, CARICOM, commended the efforts being made to sustain and strengthen the internal justice system at a time of rising demand, institutional change, and liquidity constraints.
Saint Kitts and Nevis, on behalf of 14 member states of the Caribbean Community, CARICOM, expressed concern over trends of rising caseloads and delays, saying they undermine confidence in the system and must be addressed, but that resource stewardship must not come at the expense of judicial independence, due process, or the quality of decisions.
Saint Kitts and Nevis, on behalf of 14 member states of the Caribbean Community, CARICOM, underscored the importance of adequate and predictable funding for the effective administration of justice, and of timely and consistent implementation of final judgments.
🇨🇦 Canada · on behalf of CANZ countries, being Australia, New Zealand
Canada, on behalf of CANZ countries, being Australia, New Zealand, commended the Dispute Tribunal, Appeals Tribunal, Office of Administration of Justice, Office of the Ombudsman and Mediation Services, Office of Staff Legal Assistance and other actors for what they had accomplished in the past year despite compounding challenges.
Canada, on behalf of CANZ countries, being Australia, New Zealand, supported the Council's recommendation number one to forego further consideration of a judicial mediation mechanism, saying scarce judicial resources are best directed toward timely adjudication of cases.
🇨🇳 China
China called for a problem oriented approach to improve case handling efficiency, prioritizing mediation and informal dispute resolution mechanisms, and addressing root causes of disputes at the source.
🇺🇸 United States
United States said reform was necessary and must be carried out in line with the organization's regulatory framework, with decisions that were clear, consistent and well explained so as not to produce avoidable disputes.
United States supported the Internal Justice Council's recommendation that no further consideration need be given to a judicial mediation mechanism, even as a pilot, since existing mediation mechanisms already served this purpose and offered a better return on resources.
United States expressed concern that cases pending more than 400 days quadrupled in 2025 and rose again in 2026, and said it supported recommendations that both tribunals decide receivability and deliver judgments promptly.
🇳🇱 Kingdom of the Netherlands
Kingdom of the Netherlands noted a significant increase in the use of the formal system, with management evaluation requests rising to 815 in 2025 and 334 cases filed with the UNDT in 2025 compared to 201 in 2024, and an increase in pending cases.
Kingdom of the Netherlands commended the work of the Office of the United Nations Ombudsman and Mediation Services, in particular its efforts to promote the informal first approach, and recalled Resolution 79 254 on increasing the use of mediation services.
Kingdom of the Netherlands emphasized the importance of a strong, efficient and professionalized internal system of administration of justice within the UN that can be accessed by staff and affiliate personnel.
🇵🇭 Philippines
Philippines emphasized that the rule of law is not merely a principle the United Nations promotes among member states, but equally a standard that must guide the organization's own conduct, institutions and administrative processes, and that the administration of justice is an essential expression of it.
Philippines reaffirmed support for an independent, transparent, professional and adequately resourced system of administration of justice, and said justice must be accessible in practice and delivered within a reasonable time, noting the growing number of pending cases before the United Nations Dispute Tribunal.
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