BALI, Indonesia, Oct. 25, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Indonesia will continue to encourage Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization (AALCO) to be the organization to voice the interests of Asian and African countries in the international level. A series of discussions as part of the 61^st Annual Session of AALCO activities have resulted in several recommendations and positive responses from the attending delegates.

Some main discussion agenda during the 5-day annual meeting of AALCO highlighted the issues relating to asset recovery, Law of the Sea that include illegal fishing, violations of international law in Palestine, environmental and sustainable development issues, the sea-level rise under the agenda of International Law Commission (ILC), International Trade and Investment Law, and Legal Issues in Outer Space.

In the session that discussed asset recovery, Indonesian delegate drew positive support for the establishment of Asset Recovery Expert Forum. Indonesia's proposal was mostly welcomed by Asian-African countries which viewed the recovery of assets resulting from criminal activities requires a complex process. Asian-African countries will further discuss the working mechanism of the Expert Forum. At the initial stage, AALCO member states will establish a contact group that consists of representatives from member states, either government officials, practitioners, or academics.

The contact group will arrange informal meetings, whether virtually or face-to-face, to discuss common issues on asset recovery. "We are certain that this group of experts can generate solutions to the asset recovery issues," said Minister of Law and Human Rights, Yasonna H. Laoly.

Discussions over illegal fishing was also another key issue for Indonesia as Indonesia proposed to include illegal fishing as Transnational Organized Crime (TOC). The member states put concern on the issue reiterated by Indonesian delegate, given the fact that illegal fishing has huge impact on the fish stock, the environment, as well as social and economic aspects of a country. Further discussion is required related to the issue of establishing an international law which will constitute illegal fishing as a serious criminal act.

Other agenda of concern for Indonesian delegate is the environment and sustainable development. Indonesia emphasized the importance of implementing a balance approach between environmental interests of the advanced economies and the development state in the developing economies, in establishing the international law instruments. Indonesia stood with other AALCO member states which are mostly developing economies currently undergoing their development process.

Exhibition and Panel Discussion

On the side lines of the event, the 61^st Annual Session of AALCO also presented around 70 booths that exhibited the best products from Balinese small and medium businesses. There were also side events in the forms of panel discussions that featured eminent local and international speakers. The series of discussions highlighted topics on business forum, asset recovery, humanitarian law, and Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH).

"Through a series of activities at the 61^st Annual Session of AALCO, we expect to encourage all stakeholders to put more concern on any global issues and prepare Indonesia to be able to have bigger influence that can inspire Asian-African communities in particular and the international communities," Yasonna said.

Further information about AALCO and the organizing of The 61^st Annual Session of AALCO is available at: https://www.aalco.int/.

About AALCO

Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization (AALCO), or initially called Asian Legal Consultative Committee (ALCC), was established on November 15, 1956. The organization was a concrete result of Asia - Africa Conference in Bandung in 1955. Seven Asian countries, namely Myanmar, Sri Lanka, India, Iraq, Japan and Egyptian Arab Republic and Syrian Arab Republic, are among the AALCO's founding countries. In April 1958, in order to accommodate African countries joining to be the organization members, Asian Legal Consultative Committee changed its name into Asian-African Legal Consultative Committee (AALCC). At 40^th Annual Session held in the Headquarter of AALCC in New Delhi in 2001, the organization name was again changed into Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization (AALCO). On the first days, AALCO served as an Ad-Hoc Committee with term of office for five years. The five-year term was then extended for four times up to 1981, before at a session in Colombo, AALCO was determined to be a permanent organization.

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