HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam has become the latest member of the Asian-African Legal Consultative Organisation (AALCO), where its delegation is attending the 56^th annual session of the organisation held in Nairobi, Kenya.

This is the first time Việt Nam attended AALCO’s annual session as a member, instead of an observer.

The AALCO membership marks a new step in Việt Nam’s legal integration.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the session on Tuesday, Tôn Sinh Thành, Việt Nam Ambassador to India, where AALCO is based, said that Việt Nam appreciated the efforts and contributions of AALCO in helping member countries discuss international legal affairs that related to countries in Asia and Africa.

The organisation also assists countries in drafting their recommendations to the United Nations and other international organisations.

Thành said that since Việt Nam attended the Bandung Conference held in Indonesia in 1955, the country has continued contributing to the Asian-African co-operation.

Also, he confirmed that as an official AALCO member, the country would tighten co-operation with other State members in carrying out the organisation’s activities.

AALCO, originally known as the Asian Legal Consultative Committee, was created on 15 November 1956. It is considered to be a tangible outcome of the historic Bandung Conference, held in Indonesia in April 1955. Seven Asian states, including Burma (now Myanmar), Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), India, Indonesia, Iraq, Japan, and the United Arab Republic (now Arab Republic of Egypt and Syrian Arab Republic) are the original member countries. Later, in April 1958, in order to include participation of countries from Africa, the organisation’s name was changed to the Asian-African Legal Consultative Committee (AALCC). Today, it has 47 member countries.

One of its important contributions to international legal development is to join with developing countries and to submit opinions to complete the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982). — VNS