Government representatives and legal experts from 49 member states of the Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization (AALCO) opened their 63rd annual session in Kampala on Monday, with a call for Asia and Africa to shape, not just follow, the evolving global legal order.
The five-day meeting at Speke Convention Center in Munyonyo was inaugurated with a keynote address delivered by Uganda’s Parliament Speaker Anita Among on behalf of President Yoweri Museveni.
In his message, Museveni underscored the urgency of Asia-Africa solidarity in confronting unprecedented global challenges ranging from climate change to artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.
“Rapid technological advances raise complex legal questions that demand urgent attention from developing nations,” Museveni’s statement noted, urging AALCO to place priorities of sustainable development, sovereignty, and justice at the heart of international legal frameworks.
Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Norbert Mao said Uganda’s hosting of the session fits squarely within its broader diplomatic agenda as chair of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) from 2024 to 2027. “This is a moment for Uganda to channel Global South issues onto the international stage,” he said.
Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka emphasized that the Kampala session would articulate “shared legal perspectives of Asia and Africa in order to safeguard the interests of member states.”
International delegates echoed the theme of law serving developing nations’ realities. Thailand’s deputy director-general Songchai Chaipatiyut insisted that the “force of law, not law of force” must govern the international system, while AALCO Secretary-General Kamalinne Pinitpuvadol reminded delegates that solidarity and respect for international law remain critical for a just and inclusive order.
The Kampala session brings together representatives from more than 47 member states, as well as experts and international organizations, to deliberate on pressing issues:
Law of the sea and maritime security
The Palestinian question and humanitarian law
Environmental protection, climate litigation, and loss-and-damage frameworks
Trade and investment treaties and their impact on sovereign policy space
Migrant worker rights amid increasing Asia-Africa labor mobility
Governance of artificial intelligence and digital sovereignty
Founded in 1956 in the wake of the Bandung Conference, AALCO has long served as a platform for newly independent nations to consult and cooperate on international law matters. Its role is gaining renewed significance as developing countries challenge Western dominance in shaping legal norms.
For Uganda, the session reinforces its growing reputation as a diplomatic convener. Earlier this year, the country successfully hosted the NAM summit, drawing 93 out of 120 member states to Kampala.
With climate pressures mounting, digital technologies reshaping geopolitics, and long-standing disputes such as Palestine unresolved, the Kampala deliberations will test whether AALCO can consolidate Asia-Africa voices into a coherent force for legal reform.
