Sixth Committee, 20th plenary meeting - General Assembly, 81st session
General Assembly
Date: 19 October 2026
Language: English
Transcript: https://transcripts.un.org/en/ga/c6/81/20
Transcripts available through this tool are created by using automatic speech recognition and are not official records nor official documents of the United Nations. Official records and official documents are available on the Official Document System of the United Nations.

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6th Committee · Chair [0:01]:

Good afternoon, everyone. I call to order the 20th meeting of the Sixth Committee for the 81st session of the General Assembly. Distinguished delegates, this afternoon, the Sixth Committee will first turn to the consideration of new requests for the grant of observer status in the General Assembly, in particular, agenda item 178, Observer status for the Parliamentary Assembly of La Francophonie in the General Assembly. I recall that in accordance with our programme of work, the Committee is scheduled to consider the ongoing request for observer status deferred from previous sessions at the meeting scheduled on 13 November 2026. The Committee will then undertake its debate on agenda item 76, report of UNCITRAL on the work of its 59th session. It is now expected that the debate on agenda item 150, administration of justice at the United Nations, will commence tomorrow morning. Distinguished delegates, the Sixth Committee will now consider agenda item 178, Observer status for the Parliamentary Assembly of La Francophonie in the General Assembly. I draw to your attention document A/81/191, containing a letter dated 13 July 2026 from the representative of Djibouti to the United Nations, addressed to the Secretary-General, requesting the inclusion of this item in the agenda of the 81st session of the General Assembly. I also draw your attention to draft resolution contained in document A/C.6/81/L.2, which was issued last week. The draft resolution may be accessed on the Sixth Committee website. The first speaker on my list to address the committee on this item is the distinguished representative of Djibouti, who will also introduce the draft resolution. You have the floor. Microphone for Djibouti.


Djibouti [2:30]:

Thank you, Madam Chair.

Madam Chair, my delegation has the honor of presenting under item 178 of the agenda, A/66/81/L.2, on granting observer status under the General Assembly of the Parliamentary Assembly of Francophonie. In an international context marked by growing complexity of common challenges, dialogue between multilateral institutions and parliamentary organizations are of vital importance. Parliaments contribute to democratic debate, to promoting rule of law, and to translating into national legislation international commitments shouldered by states. This approach is in keeping with paragraph 30 of the Millennial Declaration, under which the Member States expressed their desire to strengthen cooperation between the UN and national parliaments. It aims to further reconcile the work of the General Assembly with institutions that participate in it at the national level and help to implement its decisions. The Parliamentary Assembly of Francophonie, in this regard, plays a particular role. The Advisory Assembly of the Francophonie is a major actor for interparliamentary cooperation and brings together 100 parliaments and interparliamentary organizations on five continents. This work has to do with democracy, rule of law, human rights, peace, development, and cultural and linguistic diversity. In addition, decision 49 426 of the General Assembly, adopted in 1994, is the frame of reference for examining the procedure for granting observer status, taking into account the nature of the organization concerned and the interest of its activities for the work of the General Assembly. In this case, the activities of this Parliamentary Assembly of Francophonie is of clear added value for issues of which the UN is seized because parliaments contribute directly on the national level to international commitments. In addition, the practice of the General Assembly demonstrates that observer status has already been granted to entities that are not intergovernmental organizations in the strict sense of the word. However, this precedent does not mean that we don't have to engaged in an in-depth case-by-case analysis, but it demonstrates the particular nature and contributions of parliamentary institutions. Granting observer status to the PAF would allow it to further bolster a natural and mutually beneficial cooperation. We are not creating a new mechanism, but rather strengthening dialogue between two complementary spaces for multilateralism, while respecting the institutional framework of the organization. Madam Chairman, delegation, sincerely thanks the delegations that I've co-sponsored this draft resolution, that is to say Andorra, Cambodia, Luxembourg, Armenia, Canada, Comoros, Cote d'Ivoire, France, Gabon, Lebanon, Morocco, Romania, Senegal, Switzerland, Tunisia, Togo, and Vietnam. We warmly invite all delegations that have not yet done so to join this initiative as co-sponsors. We hope that this draft resolution will receive support from all delegations and will be adopted by consensus in a spirit of cooperation and dialogue that reflects the values that it intends to promote. Thank you, Madam Chair.


6th Committee · Chair [6:21]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Djibouti for his statement, and I give the floor to the distinguished permanent representative of Andorra.


Andorra · Permanent Representative [6:34]:

Thank you, Madam Chair. The Parliamentary Assembly of Francophonie brings together parliamentarians that are united by the French language and common values, democracy, human rights, rule of law, and cultural and linguistic diversity. Its observer status under the General Assembly would be an important milestone for strengthening dialogue between the UN and parliaments, as well as to bring international institutions closer to citizens and to foster implementation of our common commitments. This initiative is of particular importance for Andorra. As a small state, we are deeply committed to multilateralism and to dialogue between nations. We know that the influence of a country doesn't depend simply on its size, but also on its commitment and ability to build consensus, as well as its contribution to international cooperation. For Andorra, Francophonie represents more than just a shared language. It is also a space for dialogue, solidarity, and common values. Supporting this initiative means reaffirming our desire to promote a dynamic, open and committed Francophonie within the work of the UN. We also underscore the personal importance I place upon this approach as President of the Group of Francophone Ambassadors. I believe that closer cooperation between parliamentary Francophonie and the UN would give new impetus to our cooperation. Andorra fully supports, therefore, this initiative and encourages Member States to grant observer status to the Parliamentary Assembly of Francophonie under the General Assembly. Thank you.


6th Committee · Chair [8:15]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Andorra for his statement, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of France.


France [8:33]:

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, my delegation thanks Djibouti Cambodia, Andorra, Morocco, Sao Tome and Principe, and Qatar for requesting that the issue of granting observer status with the General Assembly to the Parliamentary Assembly of Francophonie be added to the agenda. And we also thank them for the explanatory memorandum attached to that request. Madam Chair, granting observer status under the General Assembly, as was mentioned by the delegate of Djibouti, was enshrined since 1994 by decision 49/426 of this General Assembly, which established two simple and robust criteria for guiding the decision making of member states in this area. On one hand, the organization under consideration must be intergovernmental and on the other hand the activities that it conducts must be in the interests of the General Assembly of the UN. Since they were established, the first of these two criteria has been applied with good judgment by the Assembly. Six times since the adoption of this framework decision, Member States have decided to be flexible in their interpretation of the intergovernmental criteria with regard to the organization requesting observer status, when exceptional circumstances justify this kind of flexibility and interpretation. We note in particular, among these six cases, that of two organizations that bring together parliamentary assemblies, the Inter-Parliamentary Union, which received observer status in 2003, and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean, which was granted this status in 2009. And to be honest, it's no surprise. Parliaments brought together at the international level, are brought together by an intergovernmental agreement, which is by its very nature a prerogative of the executive and not legislative powers. Madam Chair, therefore, France calls for similar flexibility in the case of the request by the Parliamentary Assembly of Francophonie. France supports this request and the adoption of the resolution put forward by Djibouti, which France has the honor of co-sponsoring. France supports this request, on one hand, because we consistently apply common sense and logical reasoning, which in the past has justified a flexible interpretation of this rule in the cases of entities that include, at the international level, the parliaments of multiple countries. On the other hand, we support it because it is clear that the activities conducted by the PAF are in keeping with the interests of the General Assembly of the UN. And this is why we member states agreed within the Millennium Declaration that we had to further strengthen cooperation between the United Nations and national parliaments. Indeed, beyond the specific role and missions of the PAF, which are well explained in the memorandum, national parliaments in general play a direct and preeminent role in the implementation of international commitments agreed upon by Member States. It is the national parliaments that are responsible for authorizing the ratification of certain agreements or treaties and/or to modify domestic legislation when necessary to bring it into alignment with these agreements. For example, it is up to national parliaments to examine future instruments that the GA has drafted, as you know, including a convention on the prevention and punishment of crimes against humanity and a convention on the protection of persons in the event of disaster. More generally, it is within national parliaments that rule of law is formed and strengthened. This rule of law, to which all members of this committee recalled their commitment last week, It is within these parliaments and the Parliamentary Assembly of Francophonie that we hear the voices of peoples of these states whose shared language has allowed them to express a common commitment to universal values that are fully in keeping with those embodied by the United Nations. Madam Chair, to conclude, France, for these aforementioned reasons, supports granting observer status to the General Assembly. to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophonie. We are prepared to take active part in all discussions that would allow us to move forward constructively toward this goal. Thank you.


6th Committee · Chair [13:42]:

I thank the distinguished representative of France for his statement, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the United States of America.


United States of America [13:52]:

Thank you very much, Madam Chair, and good afternoon, colleagues. The United States has consistently made clear that we believe it is time for the United Nations to get back to basics, to renew its founding mission, to maintain international peace and security, and to rebuild trust across the world that the UN can be a responsible steward of the precious resources that member states entrust to it. In that context, we believe that getting back to basics includes taking a more disciplined approach to considering organizations' requests for observer status in the General Assembly. As has been noted by previous speakers, General Assembly decision 49/426, adopted in 1994, limits the types of organizations that can be granted observer status in the Assembly to, quote, intergovernmental organizations whose activities cover matters of interest to the Assembly." In our view, the organization being considered under the present agenda item, the Parliamentary Assembly of La Francophonie, does not appear to meet the Assembly's eligibility criteria because, as noted in A/81/191, It is comprised of parliaments and interparliamentary organizations rather than states, and it was not created by an international agreement between sovereign states. Accordingly, this entity does not appear to be, and quote, "an intergovernmental organization" as required under Decision 49/426. and the United States is therefore not able to support the request to grant it observer status in the Assembly. We'd like to note that this is not a reflection on the value that we have heard described by other speakers with regard to what this organization could bring to the General Assembly. It is rather a reflection of our position on the eligibility criterion in the decision I cited earlier. We urge Member States to keep in mind this eligibility criterion when considering whether to sponsor future requests for observer status so that the Sixth Committee's agenda reflects the best possible use of our limited time together and our limited resources. We further underscore the need for Member States to reform the decision process for considering organizations for observer status moving forward. Thank you, Chair.


6th Committee · Chair [16:35]:

I thank the distinguished representative of the USA for his statement, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Morocco.


Morocco [16:45]:

Thank you, Madam Chair. My delegation would like to thank the delegation of Djibouti, a sisterly country, for presenting this initiative and reaffirm the support of Morocco for granting observer status to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Francophonie under the General Assembly of the UN. The Kingdom of Morocco would like to welcome the significant contributions made by the PAF to strengthening parliamentary diplomacy, promoting dialogue and cooperation, as well as the consolidation of the values of democracy, multilingualism, and rule of law. Morocco remains confident in the ability of the Sixth Committee to arrive at a consensus in favor of this request. Thank you.


6th Committee · Chair [17:27]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Morocco for his statement. Is there any other delegation that wishes to take the floor on this agenda item? I see none. The distinguished representative of Morocco was therefore last speaker on this item, and we have thus concluded our debate on agenda item 178, observer status for the Parliamentary Assembly of La Francophonie in the General Assembly. I invite delegations to continue consultations on this item. We will resume discussions on the item at a later stage. We take a brief pause just to arrange the podium. Distinguished delegates, we will now move to the consideration of agenda item 76, report of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law on the work of its 59th session. I draw your attention to the report of UNCITRAL on the work undertaken during its 59th session, held from 29 June to 10 July 2026, which has been issued as document A/81/17. The report is available on the website of the Sixth Committee and that of UNCITRAL. The Chair of the Commission, Ambassador Michael Imran Kanu of Sierra Leone, and Secretary of UNCITRAL, Ms. Anna Jubin Brett, are here with us today. It is a great pleasure to warmly welcome Ambassador Kanu and Ms. Jubin Brett to the Sixth Committee. I now give the floor to Ambassador Kanu of Sierra Leone to introduce the report of the Commission. You have the floor, Ambassador.


UNCITRAL · Chair of UNCITRAL [20:11]:

Thank you, Madam Chair, for giving me the floor. Allow me to extend congratulations to you on your election as Chair of the Sixth Committee. And indeed, it's really a great pleasure to see you here lead the work of the Committee. Madam Chair, Excellencies, distinguished delegates of the Sixth Committee, I am delighted to appear before this Committee today to present the work carried out by the United Nations Commission on international trade law during its 59th session held in New York from 29th June to 10th July, and to introduce its report. Sierra Leone has actively participated in the work of UNCITRAL for many years, and I wish once more to express my deep appreciation for the honour and confidence shown to Sierra Leone and to me personally through my election as chairperson of the 59th session of the Commission. I thank the African Group for its nomination and for its support throughout the session. This distinction reflects a shared commitment to multilateralism, the rule of law, and a fairer, more inclusive, and more equitable international economic order. UNCITRAL's work is of direct and enduring importance. By developing modern, harmonized rules of international trade law, The Commission strengthens the legal certainty needed to attract investment, expand access to credit, and facilitate cross-border trade. It also enables businesses, particularly those in developing and least developed countries, to participate more effectively in the global economy. Before turning to the report, please allow me to thank the members of the Bureau of the 59th session, Ambassador Abdulaziz Alwaisi from Saudi Arabia, Mr. Andres Yana from Chile, Mr. Shane Spelesy from Canada, and Mr. Mirel Pino from Poland for their cooperation and support. I would also like to pay tribute to my predecessor, Ambassador Villatoro from El Salvador, whose effort laid the foundation for the successful 59th session. She sadly passed away shortly after the 58th Commission session. Despite personal health challenges, she led with clarity, grace, and unwavering commitment to UNCITL and the United Nations. Her legacy of collaboration and leadership will be deeply missed. Madam Chair, distinguished delegates, the 59th session of UNCITL was both productive and efficient, and I was honored to preside over its deliberations. The strong engagement, cooperation, and shared commitment of all participants enables substantial progress across the agenda. This collective work reflects our common determination to strengthen a more effective legal framework for global commerce. During the session, the Commission adopted or finalized five legislative texts, discussed a number of future legislative initiatives, and review a range of non-legislative activities. As the full report is before you, I will focus my remarks on a few key issues that merit particular attention. As the core legal body of United Nations in the field of international trade law, UNCITRAL finalized a draft statute of the Advisory Center on International Investment Dispute Resolution, which is submitted to the General Assembly for its adoption. UNCITRAL also adopted four legislative texts which are submitted to the General Assembly for its endorsement. Supplementary provisions on the conduct of proceedings to resolve international investment dispute. Recommendation regarding the interpretation of the Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards done in New York on 10th June 1958 with respect to arbitral awards in electronic form. revised article of the UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration as amended in 2006, together with corresponding revisions to the accompanying explanatory note, an additional note on the form of awards for inclusion into the UNCITRAL notes on organizing arbitral proceedings. Please allow me to give you an overview of this text. Advisory Center on International Investment Dispute Resolution. The first text finalized by the Commission is a draft statute of the Advisory Center on International Investment Dispute Resolution, a key element of the investor-state dispute settlement reform developed by the Commission and Working Group 3. The draft statute establishes the legal foundation of the Advisory Center, which aims to support states in preventing and managing international investment disputes. It is expected to provide its member states in particular, developing countries and least developed countries, with technical assistance and capacity building, as well as legal representation in international investment disputes. The Committee may wish to recall that in the 2025, severe commitment of the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, states had expressed their resolve to support efforts to reform the mechanisms for investor-state dispute settlement in trade and investment agreements, including through a multilateral approach towards the establishment of an advisory center on international investment dispute resolution. The Committee may wish to further recall that in 2024, the Commission adopted, in principle, a draft version of the statute and had further agreed that, in order to facilitate the preparatory work, an informal process involving all States and regional economic integration organization will be established, referred to as the operationalization process. This was designed to address practical and operational issues to finalize the statute. The process took place over three meetings held in Bangkok, Yerevan, and Paris. The outcomes and recommendations emanating from that process, along with the proposed updated draft statute, were submitted to the Commission in 2026 for its decision. After considering outstanding issues, including the location of the center, the Commission approved the draft statute and decided to submit it to the General Assembly for its adoption at its 81st session. I will highlight a few other recommendations by the Commission that may be of interest to you and will find their way into the General Assembly resolution. First, in the draft statute, the Secretary-General is expected to serve as a depository. The Commission further recommended that the General Assembly request the Secretary-General function as the interim secretariat of the Advisory Center through the International Trade Law Division of the Office of Legal Affairs without any program budget implications for the United Nations. The Commission also recommended that the General Assembly authorize the Commission to continue its deliberations on the location of the headquarters of the advisory center, with the possible locations being in Bangkok and/or Rabat, with the intention that it would make a recommendation to the General Assembly in 2027. On the supplementary provisions on the conduct of proceedings to resolve international investment dispute, another text in the ISDS reform context that the Commission adopted in the supplementary provisions on the conduct of proceedings to resolve international investment dispute. This text contains a set of provisions intended to improve the ISDS procedural framework while preserving flexibility and party autonomy. The commission adopted the text as a standalone instrument for use by disputing parties and treaty parties, and further work will be undertaken regarding how the provisions may be applied in practice together with other ISDS reforms being developed by UNCITRAL, as well as with the UNCITRAL arbitration rules. I'll now turn to those other reforms and development shortly. Texts regarding the recognition and enforcement of arbitral awards in electronic form. The Commission adopted a package of texts aimed at enhancing legal certainty concerning the use of electronic document and communications in international commercial arbitration. These are recommendations regarding the interpretation of the New York Convention with respect to arbitral awards in electronic form, the revised articles of the UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration, together with corresponding revisions to the explanatory note, and an additional note on the form of awards for inclusion in the UNCITRAL notes on organizing arbitral proceedings. These texts respond to the growing digitalization of dispute resolution at par with the digitalization of trade and seek to ensure that existing legal frameworks continue to operate effectively in an increasingly online environment. Recognize that parties, arbitrators, and institutions are making increasing use of electronic means throughout arbitral proceedings. These texts, therefore, reinforce the principle that the use of the electronic form should not in itself create legal obstacles or lead to uncertainty. At the same time, they adopt a technology-neutral approach that can accommodate future development. Taken together, these texts provide a coherent framework addressing issues arising at different stages of the arbitral process, from the commencement of proceedings to the recognition and enforcement of arbitral awards. Their adoption marks another important step in UNCITRAL's efforts to modernize international trade law and ensure that its texts remain fit for purpose in the digital economy. In addition to finalizing this text, the Commission also took note of the progress made by the working groups during the past cycle. It confirmed or gave new mandates regarding the six working groups. Working group one will consider targeted updates to UNCITRAL Model Law on Public Procurement and the related texts starting in February 2027. Working group two will also review the relationship between the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules and the supplementary provisions that I mentioned and provide feedback on the Secretariat work concerning remote hearings in arbitration and remote mediation. Working Group III will continue its work on ISDS reform. For the upcoming year, it will continue to make progress on, one, the remaining draft procedural rules and cross-cutting issues; two, the standing mechanisms for the resolution of international investment disputes, which would include statutes of the two bodies, a standing first-tier body and a standing appellate body, with an aim to present at least one of these reforms at the next Commission session in 2027. The working group would also be making progress on a draft multilateral instrument on ISDS reform, which is expected to serve as a mechanism to implement the various ISDS reform elements. As you may recall, the General Assembly had decided on 15 December 2025 to allocate an additional one week session per year for 2026 and 2027 and additional support to the commission to allow working group 3 to continue to finalize its work the two weeks of conference services and the two of the proposed three positions have been absolved within the overall approved regular budget resources for 2026 and the resources for extending the positions as reflected in the proposed program budget of 2027. Working Group 4 will continue and hopefully complete its work on data provision contract and advance a consolidated text on electronic commerce, including issues related to paperless trade. Working Group 5 will continue its consideration of the topic of applicable law in insolvency proceedings And Working Group 6 will consider the topic of secured transactions involving digital assets with an aim to supplement the UNCITRAL Model Law on Secured Transactions. This will begin in February 2027 in New York with an initial focus on digital assets and assessing the feasibility of extending the project to data at a later stage. As regards other projects under the overall work programme, the Commission decided as follows: With regard to paperless trade, it was decided to consider all relevant issues with the aim to further refine the scope and appropriate form of a text on the topic, possibly in conjunction with the work of the draft consolidated text on e-commerce. With regards to dispute resolution in digital economy, the Commission requested the Secretariat to continue its exploratory work to take stock of the use of artificial intelligence tools in arbitration and mediation and platform-based dispute resolution, and to examine the issues on remote hearing in arbitration and remote mediation. The Secretariat was requested to undertake preparatory work to develop legal texts on the private law aspect of digital platforms and to conduct further work on digital payments. The Secretariat was also requested to continue to monitor developments regarding decentralized autonomous organizations. The Commission also endorsed a joint project between the Secretariat and the European Law Institute to develop model contractual terms on automated contracting. These are all evidence of the commission placing a renewed emphasis on its work in the area of digital trade and facilitating end to end trade digitalization, responding to the challenges that trade digitalization present, including in terms of new ways of trading and new things being traded. Now turning to coordination and cooperation, the commission reiterated the importance of coordinating the activities of organizations active in the field of international trade law, which is a core mandate that UNCITRAL received from the General Assembly upon its establishment as a means of avoiding duplication of efforts and promoting efficiency, consistency, and coherence in the harmonization, unification, and modernization of international trade law. The Commission emphasized the importance of closer coordination among the organizations concerned particularly when considering future work, in order not to prevent inconsistency, but also to avoid unduly burdening their respective secretariats with commitments to participate in and follow up on concurrent projects carried out simultaneously by other organizations. As a testament to its coordination efforts, the Commission agreed to hold joint sessions with the Hague Conference on Private International Law to address topics relating to digital platforms, digital payment and secure transactions involving digital assets at ONCITL and the two work streams at the Hay Conference on Central Bank Digital Currency and Digital Tokens. In respect of its working methods, the Commission exchanged views on a wide range of cost saving and efficiency measures and decided to implement certain administrative administrative efficiency measures for such purposes. Madam Chair, distinguished delegates, UNCITRAL's working program consists not only of legislative activities, but also a wide range of non-legislative activities aimed at raising awareness and promoting the effective understanding of UNCITRAL texts, providing legislative advice and assistance to States on the adoption and use of those texts, and building capacity to support their effective use, implementation, and uniform interpretation. The Commission reviewed key non-legislative activities carried out in 2025 and welcomed the cross-sectorial approach adopted and the emphasis placed on capacity building across different areas, regions, and language groups. It specifically commended the continued success of Unsettled Days the work of the Regional Centre for Asia and the Pacific, including least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing states, and efforts by UNCITRAL Secretariat to expand the reach of the case law and UNCITRAL text system, e-learning and other knowledge and training tools. The Commission nevertheless noted that current liquidity and staffing constraints continue to present challenges for these activities. They, for example, led to the closure of the UNCITRAL Law Library, the decommissioning of the cloud database, and limitation on the Secretariat's capacity to maintain and further develop the UNCITRAL website as a multilingual, authoritative, and globally accessible source of information on the work of UNCITRAL, and as a key tool of promoting transparency, inclusivity, and broad access to international commercial law. The Commission also noted that these constraints affected the Secretariat's effort to expand on its presence on other online platforms. The Commission welcomed the Secretariat's effort to address these challenges through innovative and cost-effective approaches, including cooperation with external partners, such as the specialized legal research and intelligence platforms, to help ensure the continued accessibility and dissemination of UNCITRAL resources. that the Commission expressed appreciation to states and partners providing financial and in-kind support, including to the ONCETL Regional Center for Asia and the Pacific, the Transparency Repository, the ONCETL e-learning platform, e-learning program, and travel assistance to developing countries that are members of ONCETL, and renewed its call for further assistance. Looking ahead, the Commission was informed of the newly launched partnerships and other initiatives aimed at increasing the visibility, accessibility, and practical impact of UNCITRAL works. The Commission recalled its contribution to the promotion of the rule of law in commercial relations, as highlighted in its comments transmitted to the General Assembly in that regard since 2008. The Commission also highlighted how its recent and current work will promote the rule of law and implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. Last but not least, the Commission may wish to note that this year, that is 2026, marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of UNCITL, which has been established by the General Assembly through its resolution 2205, dated 17 December 1966. The Commission recognizes this milestone as an opportunity to celebrate its significant contributions to the progressive harmonization and modernization of international trade law. Among other things, the Commission noted that the 60th anniversary of UNCITRAL could serve as a valuable opportunity to engage member states, past and present, in a commemorative activities and to highlight the impact of UNCITRAL texts on law reform within their respective jurisdictions. These commemorative activities hosted by government and the relevant stakeholders have taken place and will take place in various forms, online, in person, or hybrid, depending on their needs and preferences. A culminating celebratory event will take place in Vienna on 17 December 2026, to which you are all invited. In addition, a global essay competition on the theme, From Foundations to Frontiers, UNCITRAL's role in shaping tomorrow's trade law has been launched. The Commission welcomed the efforts of the Secretariat to update the publication entitled A Guide to UNCITRAL: Basic Facts about the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law, published in 2013, and the Sustainable Development Goals web page on the UNCITRAL website. In addition, the Commission adopted a decision on commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of UNCITRAL and recommended that the General Assembly adopt a resolution to mark this special occasion. I have been informed by the Secretary of UNCITRAL that an exhibition is currently on display on the first floor near the Cove wall, presenting a clear and engaging overview of the Commission's work and impact. You are all warmly invited to visit the exhibition. Madam Chair, distinguished delegates, I am pleased to report on the outcomes of the 59th session of the Commission. These accomplishments were made possible through the dedication and collaborative efforts of delegates, observers, and the secretariat. Allow me personally to extend my warm appreciation, deep appreciation, to the Secretary of the secretariat, Madame Anda Gbubren, thank you for your excellent work and your facilitation of the Commission's work. The Secretariat of ONCITL has once again carried out its work with professionalism and efficiency, despite the challenges caused by the liquidity crisis of the United Nations. I would also like to express a sincere appreciation to this Committee for its continued support and its recognition of ONCITL's work. It is a privilege to serve this body where Member States come together in pursuit of common objectives and consistently deliver concrete results and advance international trade law and ultimately global trade and investment. With these remarks, I conclude my presentation on the work of UNCITRAL at its 59th session. I thank you for your attention. Thank you, Madam Chair.


6th Committee · Chair [44:22]:

Thank Ambassador Kanu for his informative presentation of the report. I understand that Ms. Juba Brett wishes to add a few remarks. You have the floor, Madam.


UNCITRAL · Secretary of UNCITRAL [44:36]:

Thank you very much.

I did not want to actually take the floor, but since I have been given the floor, I wanted to thank again all the delegates from the Sixth Committee that were also present during the Commission session here in New York. We alternate between Vienna and New York, and when we are in New York, it's always a pleasure to have the delegations to the Sixth Committee also participate in our deliberations alongside their colleagues from, who come from capital. So I just wanted to, uh, to, uh, thank you again for all this support, to, uh, tell you that, uh, uh, I bring… warm greetings from Vienna, from your colleagues in Vienna that have also been following the work of ANSITRAL in the first working group sessions that already took place before this meeting that starts here today.

Thank you very much.


6th Committee · Chair [45:39]:

Thank you. I now invite the Committee to begin its debate on the agenda item. I recall the decision taken at our first meeting that statements delivered in a national capacity should be limited to seven minutes, while statements by groups of states will be limited to 12 minutes. Delegations are strongly encouraged to adhere to these time limits. The first speaker on the list is the distinguished representative of Cameroon on behalf of the African Group. You have the floor.


Cameroon · Africa Group [46:13]:

Madam Chair, I have the honor to deliver a statement on behalf of the African Group. At the outset, the African Group congratulate the Chair of the 59th session of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law, UNCITRAL, His Excellency Michael Imran Kanu, Permanent Representative of Sierra Leone to the UN, the Bureau and the Secretariat for the successful conduct of the Commission's work during its session held in New York from 29 June to 10 July 2026. The group commends the Secretary for its continued commitment to advancing the progressive harmonization and modernization of international trade law in support of sustainable economic development and in response to the evolving needs of the international trading system. The African group reiterates that UNCITRAL as the core legal body of the United Nations in the field of international trade law, plays a central role in promoting a transparent, predictable, and inclusive rule-based international trading system. Its work should continue to reflect the priorities and realities of all regions, particularly developing countries. In this regard, we reaffirm the importance of inclusive participation, multilingualism, transparency, consensus-based decision-making, and equitable geographical representation throughout the Commission works and thereof its subsidiary bodies. The African Group welcomes the substantive progress achieved during the 59th session of the Commission. We particularly note the continued advancement of the reform of investor-state dispute settlement under Working Group III, including efforts towards a comprehensive multilateral reform package addressing dispute prevention, mediation, advisory support, procedural efficiency, consistency of decision, and the independence and impartiality of adjudicators. We also welcome progress in UNCITRAL's work on digital trade, including electronic commerce, electronic transferable record, digital payment, and other emerging legal issues linked to the digital economy. Similarly, The continuing work on warehouse receipt and cross-border insolvency constitute an important contribution to facilitating trade, improving access to finance, and strengthening economic resilience. These developments are of particular importance to African states, especially in the context of the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA, which provides unprecedented opportunities for regional integration, industrialization, and sustainable economic transformation. A harmonized legal framework on digital trade, secure transactions, electronic commerce, and dispute resolution will contribute to reducing transaction costs, strengthening legal certainty, and enhancing investor confidence across the continent. In this regard, the African group warmly welcomed the adoption of the UN Convention on Negotiable Cargo Document, opened for signature in Accra, Ghana, in October 2026. This achievement represents an important milestone for both Africa and UNCITRAL. The choice of Accra as the venue for the signing ceremony reflects Africa's growing contribution to the progressive development and harmonization of international freight law. Convention establishes a uniform legal framework for negotiable cargo document across all mode of transport, including in electronic form. Its effective implementation has the potential to enhance legal certainty, facilitate paperless trade, improve access to trade finance, strengthen regional and global supply chain, and reduce transaction cost. The African Group therefore encourages all Member States to consider becoming parties to the ACRa convention and reaffirms its readiness to promote its implementation, particularly in support of the objective of the African Free Continental Area and Africa Digital Trade Agenda. Madam Chair, the African Group remains encouraged by the continued effort of Working Group 3 to develop balanced and inclusive reform of investor state dispute settlement. African states have consistently advocated for reform that improve accessibility, affordability, consistency and legitimacy while preserving the sovereign right of state to regulate and pursue legitimate public policy objectives. We support continual effort towards practical solution addressing the concern of developing countries, including through dispute prevention mechanism, mediation, advisory service and capacity building. The African Group further welcome UNCITRAL increasing attention to the legal dimension of digital transformation. As African economy embrace digital commerce and paperless trade, harmonized legal standard governing electronic transaction, digital asset, electronic transferable record, and interoperable digital trade system will be essential to facilitating cross-border trade and enabling African business particularly micro, small and medium-sized enterprise to participate more effectively in global value chain. The Commission works on warehouse receipt is equally relevant for Africa, where agriculture remains a major source of employment and economic activity. Modern warehouse receipt system can improve access to credit for farmers and small enterprises, reduce post-harvest losses and facilitate regional agricultural trade. Likewise, ongoing work on solvency law and asset recovery contributes to stronger commercial certainty, enhanced investor confidence and more resilient financial system. Notwithstanding this important advance, many African states continue to face implementation challenges, including limited institutional and technical capacity, insufficient financial resources, fragmented legal and regulatory framework, uneven level of digital readiness, and limited awareness of UNCITRAL instrument and best practices among policymakers, judge, and legal practitioner. The African group therefore encouraged UNCITRAL to further strengthen its technical assistance and capacity building programs in close cooperation with the African Union Commission, the Secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area and African Regional Economic Communities. Particularly, attention should be given to supporting domestic legal reforms, strengthening judicial and institutional capacities, promoting digital trade readiness, facilitating peer learning, and enhancing access to technical expertise for developing countries. The African Group further encourage UNCITRAL to ensure that the perspective and need of developing countries continue to be fully reflected in its future legislative work, particularly in emerging areas such as digital trade, digital asset, dispute prevention, and sustainable investment. The African Group remains committed to actively and constructively contributing to the Commission works to ensure that future international trade law instruments are inclusive, responsive and supportive of sustainable development regarding the inclusion of international governmental and non-governmental organization as observer at UNC TR session and working groups the African group take takes the view that inclusiveness and broad participation of relevant intergovernmental organization and non-governmental organization will further enrich the discussion in particular The African Group recollects the request for observer status at the 59th session by the International Organization for Mediation. This matter was deferred to the 60th session to take place in July 2027 in Vienna. The African Group is of the considered view that this request merits serious consideration. Article 33 of the UN Charter encouraged the amicable resolution of dispute with a view to maintain friendly international relations. Amongst the method listed is mediation, which is cost effective, budget driven, and often offers greater possibility of sustained business relation even after the dispute. With respect to working method of UNCITRAL and the conduct of future session, the African group proposed that the status quo of rotating the session between New York and Vienna be maintained. This will ensure the broadest participation of state, particularly that of developing state. Finally, as UNCITRAL commemorates the 60th anniversary of its establishment, the African Group pays tribute to the sixth decade of significant contribution to the progressive harmonization and modernization of international trade law. The Commission's work has provided essential legal foundation for international commerce and strengthened confidence in the multilateral trading system. The African group looks forward to continuing its close collaboration with UNCITRAL in promoting a fair, inclusive, and development-oriented international legal framework for trade. We firmly believe that strengthening legal certainty, fostering innovation, and investing in African legal, institutional, and digital infrastructure will be essential to enabling the continent to fully realize the potential of the African Free Continental Trade Area. and contribute meaningfully to global economic growth and sustainable development. I thank you.


6th Committee · Chair [56:21]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Cameroon for his statement. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the European Union.


EU · EU [56:31]:

Madam Chair, I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its member states, the candidate countries Montenegro, Albania, The Republic of Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Georgia aligned themselves with this statement. We would like to thank UNCITRAL for the report covering its 59th session. We note with satisfaction that the Commission continued to make substantial progress across its legislative activities, approving or adopting different important texts and making significant progress in its work programme. These developments contribute to a modern and coherent international legal framework and demonstrate the continued relevance of UNCITRAL's works. Madam Chair, the EU and its member states appreciate the adoption of the recommendation regarding the interpretation of the convention on the recognition and enforcement of foreign arbitral awards with respect to those in electronic form as well as the revised articles of the UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration and the corresponding revisions to its explanatory note. As regards the area of investor-state dispute settlement reform covered by Working Group III, the European Union and its Member States welcome the finalization by consensus of the draft statute of the Advisory Centre on International Investment Dispute Resolution. Also, we welcome the finalization and adoption of the UNCITRAL Supplementary Provisions on the Conduct of Proceedings to Resolve International Investment Disputes. We underline the importance of continuing to make progress on the investor-state dispute settlement reform. In this regard, we welcome continued work of the working group in relation to the establishment of a permanent first instance and appeal tribunal for international investment disputes, to treaty provisions on procedural and cross-cutting issues, and to multilateral instruments to implement these reforms. We would also like to express our appreciation for the organization of the 10th intersessional meeting of the working group 3 in Vietnam in September 2026, which allowed delegates to hold informal discussions on the key issues of the scope of jurisdiction of the permanent tribunals and to have preliminary discussion on operational aspects for the setting up of these tribunals. Intersessional meetings, including those available online, provide delegates with opportunities to exchange views on the reform and the working group's work programme helping to inform future sessions. At the same time, decisions and deliberations on legislative texts are only reserved to formal sessions of the Working Group, and due consideration should be given to the demands these additional inter-sessional meetings place on delegates' resources. The EU and its Member States are also contributing financially to these reforms. The European Union, France and Germany have continued to contribute to the UNCITRAL Travel Fund, supporting the broadest possible participation in the work of Working Group 3. In addition, the European Union and Germany have continued to make voluntary contributions to fund the operation of the Transparency Register and promote UNCITRAL's transparency standards. The European Union is finally also contributing financially to the Secretariat's efforts to promote the implementation of the ISDS reforms. We encourage all other actors to support this common endeavor through voluntary contributions. Additionally, we are glad to inform that following the European Union's approval of the Mauritius Convention on Transparency in Treaty-Based Investor-State Arbitration on 25 September 2025, The convention entered into force for the European Union on 25 March 2026. This convention provides a framework for greater public access to documents and hearings, as well as the inclusion of civil society in disputes brought by investors against states under investment treaties. We strongly encourage states that have not done so yet to become parties to this convention as well, to increase its reach and effectiveness. Madam Chair, with regard to Working Group 4, the European Union and its Member States welcome the significant progress achieved in this final text on data provision contracts at the 71st session in Vienna, 5 to 9 October 2026. We recognize the importance of developing clear and predictable rules in this area while ensuring that they remain sufficiently flexible to accommodate different business models and technological developments. The draft instruments achieve this objective. We welcome the decision to prepare the next draft in the form of a model law as the most suitable form to preserve the logical coherence of the substantive rules. We also welcome the mandate for Working Group 4 and the objective to complete its work on data provision contracts in the summer of 2027 and will be following the advancement of a consolidated text on electronic commerce, including issues related to paperless trade. The EU and its Member States look forward to continuing to contribute constructively to this work. In relation to Working Group 5, the European Union and its Member States appreciate the continued work on applicable law in insolvency. We reiterate our support for the development of global rules in this area and look forward to progress towards greater legal certainty and predictability in cross-border insolvency proceedings. Finally, As far as Working Group 6 is concerned, we are pleased to inform that on 18 June 2026, the European Union submitted its instrument of approval of the United Nations Convention on the International Effects of Traditional Sales of Ships, the Beijing Convention. The Beijing Convention, which will enter into force for the European Union on 15 December 2026, establishes a harmonized regime for giving international effect to traditional sales while preserving domestic law governing the procedure of the letter and the circumstances in which traditional sales confer clear title. We encourage states that have not yet done so to become parties to this convention, which complements the existing international legal framework on shipping and navigation, and contributes to the development of international economic relations. Madam Chair, YUNCI trial, in our view, is an example of how multilateral cooperation can be effective, delivering tangible results. Building on our strong history of cooperation with the Commission, the European Union and its Member States will continue engaging constructively in its work towards progressing harmonisation and modernization of international trade law. I thank you very much.


6th Committee · Chair [1:04:17]:

I thank the distinguished representative of the European Union for his statement, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Cuba on behalf of a group.


Cuba · LMG [1:04:30]:

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of a group of like-minded countries comprising Belarus, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Eritrea, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Nicaragua, the Russian Federation, and my own country. We attach importance to the mandate of the United Nations Commission for International Trade Law, and we note the work done by the Commission at its 59th session. We will continue to follow the debates in the Commission on this agenda item. We would like to focus our statement now on the statute of the Advisory Centre on International Investment Dispute Resolution, which is among the questions that will be considered by the Committee. We take note of the progress made by UNCITRAL in developing the framework for the settlement of international investment disputes. We hope that this will be of benefit to developing countries. UNCITRAL was established through a resolution of the United Nations General Assembly, and its intergovernmental nature means that the work of the Commission should reflect the fundamental principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter, in particular the principle of sovereign equality of States. In light of the aforementioned, we would like to highlight some aspects related to the voting rights provided for in the Statute of the Advisory Centre. We wish to underscore that an agreement or understanding was never reached, nor in 2024, on questions related to voting rights of organisations that would in any way allow those entities to enjoy additional or separate voting rights. Although the inclusion of the usual provision on this matter in the Statute may have helped introduce greater clarity of, among other things, the inadmissibility of the autonomous or cumulative right to vote by regional organizations. The non-inclusion of that provision, due to the specific circumstances of the negotiations, was not designed at allowing for a contrary interpretation. Consequently, that omission should not be in any way considered as setting a precedent for the future. Any contrary conclusion would mean incorporating into the statute language that was never agreed by the negotiating states. Consequently, none of what is provided for in the text of the statute, nor in the previous negotiations, can be interpreted as granting to any regional organisation additional or separate voting rights. Take into account the specific nature of the statute, a regional economic integration organization may, in respect of questions that fall under its competence, exercise its vote of rights with a number of votes that is equivalent to the number of its member states that are parties to the statute and that are present in the voting process. That organization will not exercise its voting right if any of its member states exercises their voting right and vice versa. It continues to be important to prevent any misunderstanding or erroneous interpretation of the statute in this regard in the future. And we request that the position of our group be recorded in the report and the record of the meeting. Thank you very much, Madam Chair.


6th Committee · Chair [1:08:31]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Cuba for his statement, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Finland on behalf of the Nordic countries.


Finland · Nordic Group [1:08:45]:

Madam Chair, I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Nordic countries, Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and my own country, Finland, on the report of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law. The Nordic countries would like to thank UNCITRAL for the report covering the 59th session of the Commission. As UNCITRAL marks its 60th anniversary, we congratulate the Commission on six decades of invaluable work in the progressive harmonization and modernization of international trade law. We reiterate our support for the Commission's vital role in furthering rules-based cooperation in an economically interdependent world. We also highly appreciate the close relationship between the Commission and international and regional organizations, both intergovernmental and non-governmental, that are active in the field of international commercial and trade law. As always, the Commission and its Secretariat have carried out work flexibly and constructively, notwithstanding current financial challenges. We continue to welcome this approach and believe it guarantees the most efficient use of limited resources, both within the organization and in the member states. We also congratulate the secretariat for its excellent work and high quality documents. During this year's session, the commission finalized the draft statute of the advisory center on international investment dispute resolution and submitted it to the general assembly for adoption. The Commission also finalized and adopted the UNCITRAL supplementary provisions on the conduct of proceedings to resolve international investment disputes. Furthermore, the Commission adopted a recommendation regarding the interpretation of the Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards and revisions to the UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration and accompanying explanatory materials. These legislative outcomes are a sound demonstration of the Commission's ability to deliver. Regarding the current activities in the working groups, the Nordic countries would first like to welcome the work carried out by Working Group 2. The group successfully concluded its tasks on electronic arbitral awards and electronic notices of arbitration, resulting in a package that was subsequently adopted by the Commission. We also welcome the work on artificial intelligence in dispute resolution, remote hearings in arbitration and mediation. Working Group 3 made considerable advances in its mission to reform investor-state dispute settlement. In particular, the Commission officially finalized the draft statute of the Advisory Centre on International Investment Dispute Resolution negotiated in Working Group 3. The draft statute has now been formally submitted to the General Assembly for final adoption. The Nordic countries take this opportunity to commend the working group for reaching this milestone, extend their gratitude to the secretariat for the continued excellence of its work under resource constraints, and reaffirm our commitment to continue actively contributing to this important work. Data provision contracts continue to be the sole substantive item on the agenda of working group 4. which completed its review of the draft rules. We welcome the progress made and continue to emphasize the importance of this work for data governance and cross-border data flows. Working Group 5 has continued its work on the topic of applicable law in insolvency proceedings and has made significant progress towards the development of a model law. Negotiations on this topic remain an immediate priority of the Working Group. We stress the importance of finding balanced solutions that take into account the diversity of systems and the range of interests involved. Working Group 6 completed its review of the draft explanatory note to the United Nations Convention on Negotiable Cargo Documents. We appreciate the group's contribution to facilitating a better understanding of this new convention and look forward to the commencement of its work on secure transactions involving digital assets. Lastly, we also welcome the new mandate of Working Group 1 to consider targeted updates to the model law on public procurement and related texts. Madam Chair, the Nordic countries express our sincere appreciation to the members of the Commission and the Secretariat for their excellent work. We look forward to continuing our collaboration in the further development of international trade law. Thank you, Madam Chair.


6th Committee · Chair [1:13:34]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Finland for her statement, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of China.


China [1:13:47]:

Madam Chair, the Chinese government has consistently attached great importance to and support to the work of UNCITRAL and has actively participated in discussions of various topics and in development of relevant rules. contributing to the harmonization and modernization of international commercial law and the promotion of global trade. The UN Convention on Negotiable Cargo Documents is a landmark innovation in international commercial law. By establishing negotiable cargo documents applicable to all modes of cross-border transport, the convention breaks down a centuries-old institutional barrier that only maritime bills of lading could serve as documents of title to goods. This innovation will help address financing issues related to transport documents, significantly reduce transport transaction costs, and improve efficiency in overland trade and benefit stakeholders worldwide, including traders, logistics providers, transport operators, and financial institutions. It will therefore boost economic growth of developing countries, particularly landlocked countries. China stands ready to work with Ghana to encourage more countries to sign the convention in Accra. The 59th session of UNCITRAL held this year focused on digital platforms, digital payments, dispute resolution in digital economy, decentralized autonomous organizations, and secured transactions, among others, and discussed the future work of UNCITRAL. Fully reflecting the current trend, and UNCITRAL's commitment to modernizing international commercial law. China is satisfied with this session's outcome and commends the Secretariat for its effective work. China hopes that UNCITRAL will strictly adhere to its mandate, deepen discussions on relevant issues, and continue to promote the harmonization of global commercial law. Chair, China has long actively supported UNCITRAL Secretariat's work to foster a favorable legal environment for international trade, investment, and development, promoting international commercial law instruments. Going forward, China will continue to uphold the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind and implement the global governance statute, actively support and participate in Australia's work. Together with our member states, China will continue to advance the harmonization and modernization of international commercial law. Thank you, Madam Chair.


6th Committee · Chair [1:16:37]:

I thank the distinguished representative of China for his statement, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the United Kingdom.


United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland [1:16:49]:

Thank you, Chair. The United Kingdom would like to express its gratitude and appreciation to the Chair of the Commission, the Vice-Chairs and the rapporteur for their ongoing work to promote the development of a legal framework to facilitate international trade law and investments. In particular, we would like to thank the Commission secretariat for its excellent work in preparing for and facilitating the session. Chair, the United Kingdom was pleased to participate in the 53rd, 54th and 55th sessions of Working Group III. We welcome the progress that has been made across reforms, particularly with regard to the supplementary provisions on the conduct of proceedings to resolve international investment disputes as well as the draft statute of the Advisory Centre on International Investment Dispute Resolution, both of which were finalized and adopted by the Commission in July 2026. The United Kingdom welcomes the Commission mandating Working Group 2 to review the relationship between UNCITRAL arbitration rules and supplementary provisions. We equally look forward to future discussions on the implementation of other various reforms undertaken by Working Group 3. We note the progress made across other reform elements. We remain hopeful that the working group can achieve its goal of presenting the reforms relating to the remaining procedural and cross-cutting issues and the standing mechanisms for consideration by the Commission at its next session. The United Kingdom was pleased to participate in UNCITRAL's initiatives related to working group 4 in 2026. including its colloquium on digital payments and paperless trade in Vienna in January 2026. The United Kingdom contributed to discussions on the development and implementation of enabling legal frameworks for paperless trade. This included by presenting the UK's approach to trade digitalization and its implementation experiences of the Electronic Trade Documents Act based on the Model Law on Electronic Transferable Records. The United Kingdom values UNCITRAL's important work to establish and enable an interoperable legal environment for paperless trade, supporting the greater use and cross-border recognition of electronic trade documents. We look forward to continuing to engage with Working Group 4 as it considers the future development of UNCITRAL's work on paperless trade. The United Kingdom was also pleased to attend and participate in the 67th and 68th session of Working Group 5, where we continued to contribute to discussions and development of important issues relating to cross-border insolvency. The primary subject of these discussions was the development of a proposed model law on applicable law in insolvency proceedings. When complete, this would allow jurisdictions to implement a set of regulations governing which law would be used where insolvency proceedings have a cross-border element. The United Kingdom remains in agreement with the consensus view that the law of the jurisdiction where the main proceedings are located has priority in the first instance. The United Kingdom welcomes the Commission's comments on the outcome of the colloquium held at the 67th session in December 2025 regarding possible updates to the guide to enactment and interpretation of the UNCITRAL Model Law on Cross-Border Insolvency, and also the proposed colloquium on possible updates to the legislative guide to be held in the first half of 2027. We also welcomed the Commission's decision to consider the outcomes of both of those colloquiums at its 60th session in summer 2027. The United Kingdom values the important work undertaken by Working Group 5, which leads to more efficient cross-border insolvency processes, reducing the cost of proceedings and improving returns to creditors in all jurisdictions. We are eager to continue our participation in discussions at the upcoming sessions and proposed colloquium. Chair, in conclusion, the United Kingdom remains committed to the work of UNCTRAL and looks forward to continuing its work with the Commission in the coming year. Thank you, Chair.


6th Committee · Chair [1:21:09]:

I thank the distinguished representative of the United Kingdom for his statement. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Republic of Korea.


Republic of Korea [1:21:21]:

I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the Chair of UNCTAD for comprehensive report. My delegation also commends the efforts of the Secretariat of the Commission for its continued professional and efficient work throughout the session. As UNCTAD marks its 60th anniversary, the Republic of Korea recognizes its significant contributions to the progressive harmonization, unification, and modernization of international trade law. UNICTRAL has served as an important forum for addressing key issues in international trade law, devising solutions to overcome significant obstacles to international commerce. Since its first election as a member of UNICTRAL in 2004, Korea has remained steadfastly committed to the development and promotion of international legal standards. As an active advocate of UNCITRAL, we have been participating in various working groups contributing to the efforts to enhance international legal certainty in international commercial transaction. My delegation welcomes the adoption of the Statute of the Adverse 3 Center on International Dispute Resolution this year. We will spare no effort to fulfill our responsibilities by contributing to the development of international trade rules and effective implementation of relevant global conventions. Madam Chair, at the 44th session of the Commission in 2011, Korea has honorably and successfully hosted the Commission's first and only regional office, the UNCTAD Regional Centre for Asia and the Pacific in Korea. Since its establishment in 2012, we have been an unwavering and committed partner to UNSTRILCAP and provide the support through the secondment of legal experts and financial assistance. To highlight our recent cooperation with UNSTRILCAP, last month, we hosted a conference commemorating the 60th anniversary of UNSTRIL, entitled "Reflecting on UNSTRIL in Korea and Asia-Pacific." The conference provided a timely opportunity to deepen our engagement with a diverse range of international stakeholders to further enhance awareness and understanding of UNCTRAL. The conference addressed topics of particular interest to the region, such as dispute resolution, insolvency, and digital trade. In addition, the 14th Asia-Pacific ADR Conference and UNISDR Special Session were held in Korea last year. These events have brought together experts and practitioners from across the Asia-Pacific region to examine enactment and consideration of UNISDR instruments. Madam Chair. As one of the most committed supporters, Korea will continue to play an important role in fulfilling Australia's mandate and achieving its goal. I thank you.


6th Committee · Chair [1:24:31]:

I thank the distinguished representative of the Republic of Korea for his statement. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Malaysia.


Malaysia [1:24:52]:

Thank you, Madam Chair. Malaysia takes note that the Commission, during its 59th session of UNCITRAL, held from 29th June until 10th July 2026, had finalized and adopted several significant legal instruments, particularly the draft statute of the Advisory Center on International Investment Dispute, UNCITRAL supplementary provisions on the conduct of proceedings to resolve international investment disputes, and text regarding the recognition and enforcement of arbitral awards and notices of arbitration in electronic form. In this regard, Malaysia would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the working groups for the remarkable efforts in concluding the works mandated by the Commission. This delegation would also like to extend our appreciation to the UNCITRAL Secretariat for their utmost dedication and hard work in coordinating, preparing documentations for purpose of deliberation, and arranging the many UNCITRAL meetings throughout the years. The conclusion of these legal instruments would not have been possible without the cooperation from all parties involved. Aligned with UNCITRAL's objectives, Malaysia believes that these adopted instruments would serve as guidance for member states and facilitate international trade and investment procedures. Malaysia commends the work of UNCITRAL in adopting the Statute establishing the Advisory Centre on International Investment Dispute Resolution. The establishment of the Advisory Centre will provide support and assistance in the area of international investment dispute resolution by providing representation services and enhancing capacity of states in preventing and handling international investment disputes, in particular, least developed countries and developing countries. Malaysia believes that the adoption of the statute would facilitate the preparatory work and informal processes involving all states and regional economic integration organizations. Malaysia is optimistic on the smooth operationalization of the center and ready to provide the necessary support towards its effective functioning. Malaysia further welcomes the adoption of the text concerning arbitral awards and notices of arbitration in electronic form. In particular, Malaysia welcomes the clarification that arbitral awards in electronic form should not be refused recognition or enforcement solely on the ground that they are in electronic form. We consider this an important step towards enhancing legal certainty, efficiency and accessibility in international arbitration. while recognising the importance of applicable domestic requirements concerning matters such as authentication, integrity and electronic signatures. Madam Chair, Malaysia believes that these instruments represent valuable contributions to the progressive harmonisation and unification of international trade law. Malaysia remains committed to supporting UNCITRAL's work and to actively participating in its ongoing efforts to develop coherent, practical and balanced legal frameworks for international trade and investment. Thank you, Madam Chair.


6th Committee · Chair [1:28:41]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Malaysia for her statement, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative

of Chile.


Chile [1:28:57]:

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. My delegation would like to express its sincere gratitude to the Chair of the 59th session of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law, UNCTRAL, Dr. Michael Imran Kanu from Sierra Leone, and the other members of the Bureau on their excellent conduct of the Commission's work. The commemoration of the 60th anniversary of UNCITRAL invites us to reflect on its achievements and to recognize its contribution to the codification and harmonization of international trade law. At the same time, it also invites us to, with strategic and collaborative vision, look forward to how to strengthen the Commission in the face of complex dynamics in global trade in the 21st century. Madam Chair, Chile congratulates UNCITRAL on the normative and practical progress made during its 59th session. In this context, we would like to highlight the following milestones: the approval of the Statute for the Advisory Centre on International Investment Dispute Resolution; We welcome the formal adoption of the Statute of the Advisory Centre. We see it as a concrete result of the work done by Working Group 3. We hope that the Centre will strengthen States' capacities and will facilitate access to technical and legal assistance. Next, the adoption of the Supplementary Provisions on Conduct of Proceedings to Resolve International Investment Disputes. These provisions make it possible to update and supplement the arbitration rules while addressing specifically the specificities of investment arbitration. For Chile, having a more modern, clear procedural framework that is adapted to these sorts of disputes is a significant step forward. Next, there is the modernization of the model law on international commercial arbitration and texts on awards electronic format. We wish to welcome the revisions to articles 7 and 31 of the model law, the interpretative recommendation on article 2 of the New York Convention, and the updates to the notes on organizing arbitral proceedings. These measures guarantee the functional equivalence of electronic arbitral agreements and awards, thus adapting arbitration to the digital age and providing greater legal certainty. In this regard, we would like to take this opportunity to underscore the work of the Chilean delegate as the chair of Working Group 2. The progress of Working Group 4 on automated contracting and electronic commerce also need to be highlighted. We welcome the ongoing work in the framework of the draft on contracts for the provision of data. We understand the difficulties in the work to develop a normative framework in this regard, and therefore we support a flexible and pragmatic approach that would make it possible to achieve a consensus text at the next session of the working group. Moreover, we welcome efforts to establish the group's next area of work, including consolidating UNCTAD's texts in this area, the analysis of aspects related to paperless trade, and preparatory work for the development of a legal text on digital platforms and private law, as well as the continuation of analysis of digital payments. Similarly, Chile believes it is relevant for the future work of the Group to address the functioning of these platforms, facilitating their use and also properly protecting users. We appreciate the decision to launch preparatory work and we believe that this and we hope that this can be a priority once the Group has concluded its work on contracts for the provision of data. We hope to see these discussions begin at the 73rd session in Vienna. Finally, we would like to acknowledge progress in the area of insolvency law. We appreciate the work of Working Group 5 on the preparation of normative texts to address the insolvency of micro and small enterprises and the management of digital assets in insolvency proceedings. Madam Chair, Chile would like to highlight the excellent work of the UNCITRAL Secretariat, which, despite budgetary and resource challenges, continues to fulfill its functions to the highest technical standards, facilitating the official meetings and also technical assistance and research work. Together with that, we support the process of UNCITRAL's intersessional consultations in Vienna to optimize its operational resources and adjust its costs. And we applaud the delegation of Mexico for its excellent conduct of the process. It's essential that these efficiency measures be implemented without sacrificing the technical rigor or the quality of the Commission's legislative products. We also underscore inter-institutional cooperation between UNCITRAL, UNIDUA, the Hague Conference on Private International Law, as well as cooperation with regional entities such as OHADAC and the Secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area. Madam Chair, Chile reaffirms its commitment to planning and training activities by the Commission. We are proud to continue supporting regional initiatives and to be an actor that is committed in this regard. We welcome the successful organizing of activities as part of the UNCITRAL Days for Latin America and the Caribbean 2025. Madam Chair, As we commemorate its 60th anniversary, Chile reiterates its commitment to UNCITRAL's mandate to promote the progressive harmonization of international trade law. We recognize the, we see the work of the Commission as an essential pillar for legal certainty, the facilitation of inclusive trade, sustainable development, and the strengthening of the rule of law at the multilateral level. As an expression of this, commitment, Chile will participate in the commemorative activities to commemorate these six decades by holding a lecture at the Law Faculty of Chile University in March 2027. Thank you very much, Madam Chair.


6th Committee · Chair [1:36:18]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Chile for her statement, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Belarus.


Belarus [1:36:29]:

Distinguished Chair, Ladies and gentlemen, at the outset, allow me on behalf of the Republic of Belarus to congratulate the UN Commission on International Trade Law on its 60th anniversary. Over the past 60 years, UNCITRAL has helped to develop conventions, model laws, guidelines, recommendations, and other legal instruments that have played an important role in the harmonization and unification of international trade law. Belarus welcomes the contribution of the Commission and reaffirms our commitment to its mandate. Our consistent re-election as a member of the Commission over the past 20 years demonstrates our unwavering position and constructive participation in its work. Belarus commends the outcome of the 59th session of UNCITRAL. We support the development of a predictable legal environment that facilitates the development of the international trade economic cooperation and an effective protection for the rights of its participants. A special relevance here is the adaptation of legal regulations to the rapid digitalization of trade. We believe that this kind of effort should be based on the principle of technological neutrality and take into account the needs of participants in international trade. We welcome progress toward creating an advisory center to resolve international investment disputes and the completion of its draft charter. We view Ensuring access of states to specialized legal assistance is an important factor in improving their capacity to effectively take part in international investment proceedings. We believe that the practical demand for this center will, to a certain extent, depend on the transparency of conditions of provision of its services, the fairness of the fees charged, and the financial sustainability of its activity. that it's important to maintain a balanced approach towards the procedures of vote in the voting in the governing bodies of the center. Belarus believes that the participation of regional organizations of economic integration should not provide them with an additional vote beyond the vote provided to the member states that they represent. We hold that this approach would ensure of fair treatment, as was mentioned by the delegate of Cuba. This would make sure that states are on an equal footing in decision-making and would not allow additional institutional advantages to be accorded. It also is in keeping with the principle of sovereign equality of states as enshrined in the UN Charter. We support the adoption of the supplementary provisions of UNCITRAL on the conduct of proceedings related to resolve international investment disputes. Its procedural mechanisms, including with regard to exemptions to the requirement of manifest lack of legal merit, security for costs, and third-party funding, aim at resolving concrete practical issues that have arisen during the consideration of these disputes. At the same time, to effectively implement these provisions, it's important for them to be aligned with existing investment treaties and arbitration regulations and take into account the autonomy of the parties. We welcome the adoption by the Commission of legal instruments that aim to improve regulation of arbitration decisions in electronic format and electronic notices of arbitration. We pay special attention to enshrining this approach according to which recognition or execution of arbitration decisions cannot be withheld solely based on the basis of them being in an electronic format. We note the corresponding changes in the Model Law on Central and International Trade Arbitration, as well as the clarification of rules about the sending of electronic notifications and the definition of the time of reception by the addressee. We hope that the practical application of these new instruments will depend on the reliability of authentication, the integrity of electronic documents, and compliance with requirements on appropriate notification of parties. We support studying the issue of remote arbitration hearings and mediation, taking into account the practical needs of the parties and the interest of effectiveness and time savings. In the context of ISDS reform, Belarus is positive toward the creation of an institutionally independent, permanent appellate mechanism, which is empowered to examine appeals to decisions that were handed down as part of investment arbitration proceedings. as long as there is a clearly expressed consent by states to its jurisdiction. At the same time, Belarus supports a cautious and balanced approach toward the issue of creating a permanent first-instance body. We believe it's important to ensure that the establishment of such a body does not lead to an imbalancing of the existent system for investment dispute settlement, and that its functioning ought to be harmonized with existing mechanisms for dispute settlement, and that it can thus seamlessly be integrated into the existing system. When examining potential models for such a body, it's important to take into account the advantages of arbitration proceedings, including the ability of the parties to take part in selecting the arbitrators and to ensure appropriate guarantees of their independence and impartiality. We believe that the reform ought to remain flexible and ensure that states can define the scope of their own obligations and does not require them to transition toward using this permanent first instance body. Alongside the development of new instruments, the timely updating and improvement of existing UNCITRAL legal texts is of great importance. In this regard, we consider the work to update the Model Law on Public Procurement and related documents to be important. as well as to systematize and consolidate texts on electronic commerce and further develop the legal framework for digitalization of trade and the transition to paperless trade procedures. We view these areas as being of practical importance for States that are interested in building an efficient digital economy. We are ready to participate actively in their further development. In closing, we would like to reiterate the importance of preserving the transparent and inclusive nature of UNCITRAL's work. We are convinced that broad participation by states, due regard for different legal traditions and levels of economic development, and the consistent development of legal instruments that are applicable in practice are essential preconditions for the successful fulfillment of the Commission's mandate. On the 60th anniversary year of its establishment, we reaffirm Belarus's readiness to continue taking part in the work of UNCITRAL and contribute to the development of harmonized legal frameworks for international trade. Thank you.


6th Committee · Chair [1:43:03]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Belarus for his statement, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of South Africa.


South Africa [1:43:12]:

Thank you, Madam Chair. South Africa aligns with the statement delivered by Cameroon on behalf of the African Group, and in our national capacity, wishes to congratulate Ambassador Michael Kanu of Sierra Leone for his successful chairing of the 59th session of UNCITRAL. South Africa thanks the Secretary-General for the report and commends UNCITRAL for its work to modernize and harmonize international trade law. Predictable rules can make trade and investment easier. At its 59th session, UNCITRAL advanced texts on investor-state dispute settlement and international arbitration, and reviewed work on dispute settlement electronic commerce, insolvency law and negotiable cargo documents. We note its decisions on future work concerning dispute resolution in the digital economy, paperless trade, digital payments, digital platforms, secured transactions involving digital assets, public procurement and automated contracting. Across these areas, we encourage UNCITRAL to give close attention to the needs of developing countries and pair legal reform with practical technical assistance and capacity building. South Africa welcomes the United Nations Convention on Negotiable Cargo Documents, which is scheduled to open for signature in Accra, Ghana, on 26 October 2026. We thank Ghana for hosting the ceremony. Madam Chair, South Africa wishes to focus the remainder of its remarks to investor-state dispute settlement reform and the Advisory Centre on International Investment Dispute Resolution. The question at the heart of this work is how to provide effective protection for investors while preserving the ability of states to govern in the public interest. International investment can contribute to growth, employment, infrastructure, and technology transfer. Investors need legal certainty and remedies against unlawful or arbitrary state conduct. States must also be able to take legitimate, non-discriminatory measures to protect public interest and the environment, address inequality and advance economic development. A system that fails to respect either concern will struggle to command confidence. South Africa's approach is informed by its constitution and its review of the international investment agreements. Our Protection of Investment Act 22 of 2015 reflects an effort to protect investments while maintaining the state's ability to pursue public policy objectives. This balance matters greatly to countries working to overcome entrenched inequality and expand economic opportunity. We welcome the continued work of UNCITRAL Working Group III. Reform should address the consistency and predictability of decisions, transparency, the independence and impartiality of decision makers, and the cost and duration of proceedings. It should also consider the clarity of substantive investment protections and the risk that expensive claims may discourage lawful measures adopted in the public interest. For developing countries, the cost of investment disputes are particularly significant. A complex claim can require years of specialized legal work and substantial public expenditure. Equal access to a dispute resolution mechanism means little if a state lacks the capacity to assess a claim, obtain sound legal advice, or participate effectively in the proceedings. These concerns are especially relevant to African states seeking to attract investment while pursuing industrialization, economic diversification, job creation, and regional integration. Their experience must help shape reform. We should ask not only whether new rules are legally sound, but also whether they reduce avoidable costs, improve access to justice, and work in practice for states with limited resources. Madam Chair, South Africa attaches particular importance to the Advisory Centre on International Investment Dispute Resolution. We welcome the Commission's finalization of the draft statute of the Advisory Centre and its submission to the General Assembly for consideration. The Centre offers a practical way to address disparities in access to specialized legal advice. Its value should extend beyond assistance after a claim has been filed. Early advice can help governments understand treaty obligations, identify risks, engage with investors, and prevent avoidable disputes. Where proceedings cannot be avoided, affordable and reliable support can help states assess their options and present their cases effectively. For the center to fulfill that promise, it must be accessible to the states that need it most. Sustainable financing, appropriate governance, and fee arrangements that reflect different levels of capacity will be essential. The center should be professionally independent and responsive to its members without prejudging the merits of any dispute or diminishing the legitimate rights of either party. It should also help to build lasting national and regional expertise, training government officials, supporting the review of investment agreements and developing accessible legal resources can strengthen institutions well beyond an individual case. Cooperation with African regional institutions and academic bodies could help ensure this expertise grows within the continent. Madam Chair, in conclusion, South Africa supports continued work on electronic commerce, data provision contracts, paperless trade and electronic documents with due regard to legal certainty, interoperability, capacity building and differing national circumstances. We welcome continued examination of remote hearings, remote mediation and the use of artificial intelligence in dispute resolution, while ensuring that further work is evidence-based and considers procedural fairness access, confidentiality, and technological disparities. I thank you.


6th Committee · Chair [1:49:56]:

I thank the distinguished representative of South Africa for her statement, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of France.


France [1:50:20]:

Thank you, Madam Chair. France aligns itself with the statement delivered on behalf of the European Union and its member states and would like to add the following in its national capacity. Madam Chair, the question of investor-state dispute settlement is an essential issue for the development of international trade and the balance of relations between states and investors. This is therefore a major focus for France and for the European Union. In this context, France welcomes the progress achieved this year with the approval by UNCITRAL of two important texts at its 59th session, namely, on the one hand, the draft supplementary provisions on conduct of proceedings to resolve international investment disputes, And on the other, the statute of the Advisory Center on International Investment Dispute Resolution. France fully supports these developments. In particular, the adoption of the statute of the Advisory Centre on Investor-State Dispute Settlement by UNCITRAL successfully concludes the work cycle relating to the establishment of the Centre and makes the first step towards the institutional aspect of the reform. We look forward to the rapid opening of the Statute for signature and the establishment of the Centre as quickly as possible. We congratulate Thailand and Morocco for their constructive approach to the matter of the headquarters, and we welcome the continuation of discussions on this subject ahead of the next UNCITRAL session in July 2027. What's more, France reiterates its desire to host a regional office of the Centre in Paris. The implementation of this multipolar approach that the statute allows would allow the new institution to best fulfill its mandate as part of a logic of complementarity and for the betterment of its beneficiaries. What's more, discussions within the working group on the permanent jurisdiction that should replace arbitration demonstrate the ambition of the reform and are a priority for France. France very much hopes that future work will pave the way towards the adoption of statutes for the Permanent Tribunal and the Permanent Appellate Tribunal at the next UNCITRAL session in the summer of 2027. Madam Chair, our delegation also welcomes the adoption this year of a set of texts designed to facilitate the recognition of arbitral awards and notices in electronic form. These texts will help to strengthen legal certainty for the settlement of disputes in the digital economy. We also welcome the open for signature of the United Nations Convention on Negotiable Cargo Documents, and we congratulate Ghana for organizing in a few days' time the signing ceremony, which will take place in Accra. This instrument transposes to multimodal transport the regime of bills of lading that thus far applied only to maritime law, and in that regard it is a potential significant innovation for international transport. It also constitutes a contribution to reducing formalities by promoting the use of paperless documents. For all of these reasons, France is currently making the necessary actions with a view to signing this instrument. This is an instrument that has been open for signing. And on top of that, also the important developments that I've just recalled, all of these things demonstrate, once again, in our eyes, the relevance of multilateralism and ANSOTRAL's contribution to the progressive development and harmonization of rules in international trade. Madam Chair, to conclude, my delegation would like to reiterate its commitment to multilingualism as one of the fundamental principles of the United Nations, which ensures quality on the one hand and inclusion on the other hand in the work of UNCITRAL. This principle must be fully effective including in the procedures for the adoption of the session's report, and while making sure that the adoption of decisions and the consideration of legislative texts takes place only during the official meetings of the working groups and not at informal intersessional meetings. Thank you.


6th Committee · Chair [1:55:15]:

I thank the distinguished representative of France for his statement, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the USA.


United States of America [1:55:25]:

Thank you, Chair. On the occasion of its 60th anniversary in 2026, the United States commends the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law for its vital work in harmonizing and modernizing the legal framework for international trade. This milestone offers a meaningful opportunity to reflect on its achievements, including its contributions to arbitration and dispute resolution, secured transactions, electronic commerce, and insolvency law. Its instruments have provided predictability and confidence in cross-border commerce. We also recognize the important role of member states whose active participation, expertise, and commitment have shaped these texts. As we mark this anniversary, we look forward to UNCITRAL's continued leadership in addressing the evolving challenges of global trade and reaffirm our support for its mission. The United States welcomes the report of the 59th session of the UNCITRAL Commission. This year's commission was successful with the adoption of several new or updated texts. UNCITRAL has set an ambitious agenda for the coming year that includes a mandate to review consolidated e-commerce texts and new projects on secured transactions involving digital assets and public procurement set to begin in spring 2027. We also look forward to following the continued preparatory work that the Secretariat will undertake this year. With respect to the substantive work accomplished this year, we are pleased that the Commission adopted work regarding arbitral awards in electronic form and electronic notices of arbitration and other written communications in electronic form. This work provides additional clarity in the modern age of electronic communication. We applaud the efforts of Working Group 2 in finalizing these texts. We also note the adoption of two products intended to advance reform of the investor-state dispute settlement system. We commend the efforts of Working Group 3 and the Commission in finalizing these texts, and in particular, the supplementary provisions on the conduct of proceedings to resolve international investment disputes. We also note that work remains for the Commission to determine the form in which these provisions will be incorporated into the UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules, as well as to arrive at a recommendation for the location of the headquarters for the Advisory Center on International Investment Dispute Resolution. We look forward to the resolution of these issues over the course of the coming year. The United States remains committed to continuing its active participation in UNCITRAL's working groups. We look forward to addressing the challenges before us and collaborating productively with fellow member states in support of UNCITRAL's mission to strengthen and modernize the international trade law framework. Thank you.


6th Committee · Chair [1:58:09]:

I thank the distinguished representative of the United States of America for her statement, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of India.


India [1:58:39]:

Thank you, Madam Chair. We wish to thank the Chair for presenting the comprehensive report of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law, UNCITRAL, as outlined in document A/81/17. We would like to extend our appreciation to Secretary-General of UNCITRAL, Ms. Anna Joubin-Bret, for her exemplary leadership in steering the work of the Commission. UNCITRAL's work is essential in ensuring that legal standards remain inclusive, development-oriented, and responsive to the needs of both developed and developing countries. Being a founding member of UNCITRAL, we recognize the work of UNCITRAL and actively contribute in working group discussions. India's domestic legal framework has drawn inspiration from UNCITRAL instruments. Successive reforms in arbitration, commercial dispute resolution and insolvency framework reflects India's unwavering commitment to creating a modern, transparent, and internationally compatible legal environment. Commemorating the 60th anniversary of UNCITRAL, this year in July, India hosted a three-day international conference in New Delhi, exploring cross-cutting themes including international mediation, arbitration, investor state dispute settlement reforms, cross-border insolvency reforms, digitalization, public procurement, and public private partnership. Madam Chair, the 59th session of the Commission has been quite productive. The Commission, through its Working Group 3, Investor-State Dispute Settlement Reform, was able to finalize and approve the draft statute of the Advisory Center on International Investment Dispute Reform. Several states have expressed their willingness to host the center. The Advisory Center can strengthen the capacity of least developed and developing countries to prevent and manage international investment disputes. India underscores the importance of accessible services and clarity regarding the benefits, membership obligations, and financial contributions associated with the Centre. We take note that the Commission was also able to finalize and adopt The supplementary provisions on the conduct of proceedings to resolve international investment disputes aimed at enhancing procedural efficiency, predictability, transparency and consistency in investor-state dispute settlement, including through provisions on evidence, bifurcation, interim measures, early dismissal of manifestly unmeritorious claims, security for costs, third party funding and allocations of costs. We welcome these two timely outcomes on the investor-state dispute settlement reforms that have been adopted by the Commission. India emphasizes that implementation of the supplementary provision should remain subject to the consent of the parties concerned while preserving States' right to regulate and ensuring procedural fairness. India looks forward to continued deliberations in Working Group III. Such deliberations should give due consideration to State consent, equitable geographical representation, the implications for costs and duration of proceedings, and clarity regarding the recognition and enforcement of such decisions. Madam Chair, we note that the Working Group II, Dispute Settlement, has adopted the recommendations regarding the interpretation of the Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards of 1958 with respect to arbitral awards in electronic form. This reiterates the Commission's persistent commitment towards progressive harmonization and modernization of international trade law. As a party to the New York Convention, India attaches considerable importance to promoting the effective communication and enforcement of foreign arbitral awards. India welcomes the efforts to modernize the UNCITRAL framework in light of technological developments. India has consistently supported the use of technology to improve access to justice, facilitate international commerce, and enhance the efficiency of dispute resolution, while ensuring legal certainty, party autonomy, and respect for domestic legal framework. Madam Chair, we take note that the Working Group 4 has completed a read-through of the draft default rules for data provision contracts under development and look forward to the draft default rules, including their final form, and accompanying explanatory note to be submitted for finalization and adoption to the Commission at its next session in 2027. India's own experience demonstrates the benefits of digital transformation. Through its digital governance initiatives and digital public infrastructure, India has sought to promote secure, trusted, and inclusive digital ecosystem for commerce and public services. India's legal framework also recognizes electronic records and electronic signatures through the Information Technology Act of 2000. We also acknowledge the significant progress achieved by Working Group 5, Insolvency Law, and take note of Chair's efforts to submit a draft model law on applicable law in insolvency proceedings and its draft guide to the Commission by 2027. India has developed a robust and unified domestic insolvency framework under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code of 2016, which has significantly strengthened the efficiency, predictability of time-bound resolution of corporate insolvency processes within the country. We are of the view that UNCITRAL's work on draft model law on applicable law in insolvency proceedings would immensely help states in strengthening their insolvency regimes in line with their national requirements and levels of development. Madam Chair, we are quite optimistic that the mandate given to the Working Group 1 to consider targeted updates to the UNCITRAL Model Law on Public Procurement and related texts are achievable. The intended model law would be beneficial for micro, small and medium enterprises. We take note that Working Group 6 has been mandated to consider the topic of secure transactions involving digital assets, with an initial focus on digital assets in a manner consistent with existing international instruments. Digital assets have transformed the manner in which businesses engage in international commerce by facilitating market access, connecting buyers and sellers, and enabling participation in global value chains, particularly for micro, small, and medium enterprises. India has developed one of the world's largest and most inclusive digital public infrastructure ecosystems, demonstrating how digital technologies can expand access to financial services, facilitate commerce, and promote inclusive economic growth. As states continue to advance digital transformation, legal frameworks should remain flexible, technology-neutral, and responsive to emerging models. India values Israel's consensus-based approach, which strengthens legal certainty while preserving policy space and promoting equitable participation in global trade governance. Thank you, Madam Chair.


6th Committee · Chair [2:09:43]:

I thank the distinguished representative of India for his statement, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Israel.


Israel [2:09:53]:

Thank you, Madam Chair. Israel congratulates the Commission on marking its 60th anniversary. For six decades, UNCITRAL has played a central role in promoting legal certainty, harmonization, and efficiency in international trade law. Israel remains committed to its active and constructive participation in UNCITRAL's work. Israel commends the Commission and the UNCITRAL Secretariat for their efforts over the past year, particularly the cost-saving measures introduced by the Secretariat. These measures have helped to ensure the continuity of the Commission's work while maintaining its high professional standards despite the significant budget restraints. Furthermore, Israel appreciates the Secretariat's decision during the 2026 Commission session to provide brief introductions to the non-legislative agenda items. This welcome change in the methods of work greatly facilitated the discussions and contributed to a more focused and efficient consideration of the topics. Israel also welcomes the brief introductions to non-legislative agenda items. and the publication of highlights from the 2025 activities of the UNCITRAL Secretariat, which contributed to more focused discussions and greater transparency. Israel supports the continued use of these practices and would welcome future commission sessions of 10 working days or less. Regarding Working Group 2, Israel welcomes the finalization of the instruments concerning electronic arbitration awards and the electronic delivery of notices of arbitration, which Israel was proud to co-sponsor. These important instruments will enhance legal certainty and facilitate the recognition and enforcement of arbitral awards in an increasingly digital environment. Israel also welcomes progress on its proposal for an UNCITRAL framework addressing procedural aspects of remote international arbitration and mediation. We look forward to the outcome of consultations between the Secretariat and relevant experts. We hope that this process will enable the Commission in 2027 to consider mandating further work towards a broadly supported framework promoting efficiency, accessibility, and attention to the digital divide. Regarding Working Group 3, Israel welcomes the progress achieved on investor-state dispute settlement reform, including two important outcomes. First, the finalization of the draft statute of the Advisory Center on International Investment Dispute Resolution, which can assist states, particularly least developed and developing countries, through legal advice, capacity building, and support in legal representation. Israel notes that the center's location remains unresolved and encourages continued consultations with a view to reaching consensus. Second, Israel welcomes the adoption of the UNCITRAL supplementary provisions on the conduct of proceedings to resolve international investment disputes. These provisions constitute a practical and flexible instrument which complement existing procedural frameworks. Their adoption as a standalone instrument will enable their use both by parties to specific disputes and by states in the negotiation and drafting of international investment agreements. Israel continues to engage constructively in the working group's discussions on the reform process and looks forward to the completion of the remaining elements. Regarding Working Group 5, Israel welcomes the progress on the draft model law concerning applicable law in insolvency proceedings and thanks the chair, secretariat and delegations for their work. Israel looks forward to contributing to its completion and hopes that the final outcome will be submitted to the Commission at its next session. Israel also supports consideration of future work to update the UNCITRAL Legislative Guide on Insolvency Law and looks forward to next year's colloquium. With regard to Working Group 4 and the work on electronic commerce, Israel has been closely following the working group's deliberations over the past year. We look forward to actively contributing to UNCTAD's efforts in this important sphere, specifically the upcoming work on the topics of digital payments and digital platforms following the proposals submitted by several states. Israel welcomes further coordination with the HCCH and stresses the importance of ensuring coherence, a clear division of work, and the avoidance of unnecessary duplication. Thank you, Madam Chair.


6th Committee · Chair [2:13:48]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Israel for his statement, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Maldives.


Maldives [2:14:02]:

Thank you, Chair. For trade-dependent countries like the Maldives, the work of UNCITRAL remains of critical importance. The work of UNCITRAL and its working groups provide important and relevant guidance and updates that can guide the policies and trade-related activities of countries. Harmonizing these policies and activities further strengthens the international trade regime, which can have cascading impacts on development in countries. The Maldives recognizes the power of trade as a driver of development and has put a central focus on trade as a means of achieving our national development goal for the Maldives to become a developed country by 2040. In this regard, the Maldives is strengthening its special economic zones framework with a view towards increasing investment in strategic sectors, infrastructure, logistics, export-oriented manufacturing, and sustainable townships. The Maldives is also strengthening our foreign direct investments frameworks to boost Maldivian productivity and attract investments in key areas, including digital economy. The Maldives wishes to highlight the following. First, the Maldives welcomes the finalization and adoption of the UNCITRAL supplementary provisions on the conduct of proceedings to resolve international investment disputes and the draft statute of the advisory center on international investment dispute resolution. The early adoption of these provisions can harmonize arbitration and resolution of investment related disputes, providing guidance in formulation of domestic legal frameworks and legislatures. This can enhance our efforts to create an investment friendly environment in the Maldives and attract investments from different sectors. The Advisory Center on International Investment Dispute Resolution can strengthen the international trade regime, provide an important impetus and guidance for countries such as the Maldives, wishing to pursue stronger and more diversified investments. The Maldives looks forward to the adoption of the statutes of the Advisory Center and its early and effective operationalization. Second, the Maldives welcomes the approval of the amendments to the UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration and the continued work on electronic arbitral awards and digital dispute resolution package. As the Maldives pursues increased digitalization of its government services, the work of UNCITRAL in this area can help strengthen our work and help guide domestic policies and legal architecture. Third, the Maldives welcomes the adoption of the Accra Convention on Negotiable Cargo Documents and looks forward to the official signing ceremony next week. The Maldives has been expanding its sea-to-air cargo services to establish the Maldives as a logistical hub in the Indian Ocean. Fourth, the Maldives welcomes efforts to increase efficiency and optimization of the working methods of UNCITRAL. For small delegations like the Maldives, participation means being able to contribute to discussions. This is why the Maldives supports hybrid modalities of flexible methodologies that allow effective participation of small states in the work of UNCITRAL. The Maldives looks forward to further discussions on the modalities. The Maldives also looks forward to continuing our engagement at this committee and at UNCITRAL on international trade law. I thank you.


6th Committee · Chair [2:16:57]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Maldives for his statement, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Nigeria.


Nigeria [2:17:08]:

Madam Chair, Nigeria aligns itself with the statement delivered by Cameroon on behalf of the Africa Group and makes the following remarks in national capacity. First, we join the group in expressing our appreciation to the Chair of UNCITRAL at its 59th session and the Bureau for the successful hosting of that session here in New York a few months ago. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of UNCITRAL by resolution 220521. Over six decades, the Commission's texts have given traders, investors and courts in every region a common legal basis for cross-border commerce. Nigeria supports the Commission's recommendation that the General Assembly adopt a resolution on the anniversary, including its recognition that consensus-based decision-making contributes to the legitimacy of the Commission's texts. Madam Chair. A significant outcome of the 59th session was the approval by consensus on 2nd July 2026 of the draft status of the Advisory Center on International Investment Dispute Resolution. Developing countries have long faced high cost and limited capacity in defending investment claims. The center is designed to address that imbalance, and Nigeria welcomes the priority in access to services. to least developed countries. Nigeria supports the adoption of the statute by the General Assembly at this session, as the Commission has recommended. Nigeria also welcomes the adoption of the Optional Supplementary Provisions on the Conduct of Proceedings to Resolve International Investment Disputes and the continued work of the Working Group III on Investor-State Dispute Settlement Reform. The reform should improve the consistency, cost and duration of proceedings while preserving the rights of states to regulate in pursuit of legitimate policy objectives. Madam Chair, my delegation applauds the recommendation regarding the interpretation of the New York Convention with respect to arbitral awards in electronic form and related amendments to the UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration. As a party to the New York Convention, Nigeria has modernized its own framework through the Arbitration and Mediation Act 2023, which draws on the model law. This text gives arbitration users legal certainty as proceedings move online. The United Nations Convention on Negotiable Cargo Documents, adopted by the General Assembly on 15 December 2025 in resolution 80/162, will be opened for signature in Accra on 26 October 2026. Nigeria is pleased with this development and congratulates Ghana on hosting the ceremony. The Convention will support paperless trade and access to trade finance and is directly relevant to the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area. Nigeria supports the Commission's future work programme on digital trade, including secure transactions involving digital assets, paperless trade, digital platforms and digital payments, and the secretariat monitoring of the use of artificial intelligence tools in arbitration and mediation. This work should take account of different levels of digital readiness among States, particularly developing States. Madam Chair, many developing countries face real constraints in implementing UNCITRAL texts. Nigeria encourages the Secretariat to continue its technical assistance and capacity building activities. in cooperation with the African Union, the Secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area and Regional Economic Communities, and appeals for contribution to the trust fund that provides travel assistance to developing countries of the Commission. On working methods, Nigeria welcomes the Commission's decision to retain the rotation of sections between New York and Vienna, which supports the participation of developing countries and its emphasis on multilingualism and in-person meetings. Finally, Nigeria will continue to contribute to the work of the Commission, including at its 60th session in Vienna from 5th to 23rd July 2027. I thank you, Madam Chair.


6th Committee · Chair [2:21:34]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Nigeria for his statement, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Algeria.


Algeria [2:21:42]:

Thank you, Madam Chair. At the outset, my delegation aligns itself with the statement delivered on behalf of the African Group and wishes to make the following remarks in its national capacity. We take note of the report of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law, UNCITRAL, on the work of its 59th session and take this opportunity to commend the Commission as the core legal body of the United Nations system in the field of international trade law for its continued efforts to modernize and harmonize the legal framework governing international trade. We commend the Commission on the progress achieved during its 59th session, particularly with regard to the finalization and adoption of the supplementary provisions on the conduct of procedures to resolve international investment disputes, and the text regarding the interpretation of the Convention on the Recognition and the Enforcement of Arbitral Awards and Use of Notices of Arbitration in Electronic Form. We also commend the UN Convention on Negotiable Cargo Documents, which is scheduled to open for signature in Accra, Ghana, on 26 October 2026. Madam Chair, while recognizing these important achievements, my delegation regrets that the Commission was unable to reach a decision on the location of the headquarters of the Advisory Centre on International Investment Dispute Resolution during its 59th session. My delegation underscores in this regard that the decision regarding the location of the headquarters of the Advisory Centre must be taken by consensus and should be guided by objective criteria, in particular the logistical and economic capacities of the prospective host country, its ability to provide the necessary institutional and operational support, and its demonstrated expertise and experience in the field of international dispute settlement. Reaching a decision on the host country through consensus, in keeping with UNESCO's long-standing tradition and practice, would strengthen the Centre's legitimacy, foster a sense of collective ownership among Member States, and facilitate its timely and effective operationalization. It would also pave the way for constructive discussions on the establishment and location of its regional offices. The operationalization of the Advisory Centre represents a significant step towards strengthening the legal capacities of developing countries enabling them to better defend their interests in international investment disputes, reduce the costs associated with international litigation and arbitration, and address existing disparities in legal expertise and resources between developing countries and foreign investors. Madam Chair, Algeria calls for strengthened cooperation between UNCTAD and regional organizations, in particular the African Union and the UN Economic Commission for Africa. Such cooperation is essential to enhancing capacity building initiatives, promoting the exchange of expertise and best practices, and strengthening the ability of African countries to engage effectively in international trade and investment dispute settlement mechanisms. My delegation further underscores the importance of multilingualism as a fundamental principle of the United Nations and emphasizes the importance of ensuring equal treatment of all six official languages across the Commission's activities. Madam Chair, in conclusion, Algeria reaffirms the importance of advancing transparency, facilitating access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises, and promoting digitalization as a means of enhancing the integrity, efficiency, and accessibility of international transactions. We reiterate our strong support for the work of UNSCR 1325 and reiterate also our commitment to actively contributing to the Commission's deliberations and the ongoing work of efforts of its working groups. I thank you.


6th Committee · Chair [2:25:00]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Algeria for his statement, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of El Salvador.


El Salvador [2:25:10]:

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. First of all, I would, on a personal note, like to thank Ambassador Michael Imman Kano, the Permanent Representative of Sierra Leone, for his leadership of the Commission. And of course, I would like to thank Ms. Anne Jubinbret, the Secretary of the Committee, for her leadership in the work as well. My delegation would also like to express its gratitude for the presentation of document A/81/17, containing the report of the United Nations Commission for International Trade Law at its 59th session, which satisfactorily concluded two main instruments, in addition to significant non-legislative activities and capacity building. El Salvador joins in celebrating the 60th anniversary of UNCITRAL. Over these six decades, the Commission has become consolidated as the central legal organ within the United Nations system for the harmonization and unification of international trade law. We recognize its invaluable contribution to reducing normative barriers, to fostering fair and inclusive trade, and to building legal solutions that respond to the evolution of trade and the need of states. My country has progressively incorporated various different UNCITRAL instruments, model laws, legislative guides and international conventions, and that because of their valuable contribution to legal certainty and the facilitation of international trade. As one recent milestone, we would note the depositing in 2025 of the instrument of accession to the United Nations Convention on the Use of Electronic Communications in International Contracts. This decision reflects our commitment to the modernization of trade legislation and to an environment conducive to electronic trade and cross-border transactions. Madam Chair, as a member state, El Salvador reaffirms its commitment to the Commission's mandate and to its debates. I would like to highlight our active participation in UNCITRAL spaces such as the Colloquium on the Harmonization of Law in the Age of Digital Trade and Finance, in which representatives of the National Center of Registers of my country presented El Salvador's good practices on the subject of digital platforms and assets. These spaces are essential in order to build flexible and safe normative frameworks, secure normative frameworks that are adapted to emerging technologies. My delegation is especially grateful to those states that make voluntary contributions to the UNCITRAL Trust Fund. Thanks to this support, Experts and delegates from El Salvador have been able to participate in the working groups and in other spaces of the Commission. This assistance guarantees diverse and equitable representation of the different legal systems in the work of the Commission. At the national and regional levels, we are pleased to reiterate our country's constant and institutionalized participation in the UNCITRAL days in Latin America and the Caribbean. the antitrol lactase this initiative strengthens local capacities and highlights the practical and transformative impact of the commission's instruments in Academia the private sector and state entities Madam chair El Salvador welcomes the progress made on recognizing arbitral awards in electronic format in the framework of the 1958 New York Convention, as well as progress made on negotiable cargo documents, digital payments, and operations secured with digital assets. These efforts are of particular importance given the digital transformation of international trade, because they strengthen legal certainty and facilitate cross-border operations, as well as expanding opportunities for participation for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. We welcome the instruments approved. and their contribution to strengthening the international framework for the prevention and settlement of investment disputes. In particular, we welcome the establishment of an advisory center to support states, in particular developing countries, and we take note that the decision on its headquarters will be considered by the General Assembly with confidence that that decision can be reached by consensus. Madam Chair, my country reiterates that it will continue participating actively in the Commission and that, based on its national experience, it will contribute to the elaboration of modern, predictable and harmonized normative frameworks that promote legal certainty and inclusive economic development. We are convinced that the work of UNCITRAL will continue to be fundamental in order to address the legal challenges of international trade and to make the most of digital transformation opportunities for the benefit of all states. Thank you very much, Madam Chair, and thanks to the Secretary and the Chair of UNCITRAL.


6th Committee · Chair [2:31:02]:

Thank you. I thank the distinguished representative of El Salvador, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Austria.


Austria [2:31:13]:

Chair, my delegation fully aligns itself with the statement delivered by the European Union, and we would like to make the following remarks in our national capacity.

Year after year, UNCITRAL produces tangible results.

UNCITRAL is a case in point, year after year, that multilateralism and diplomacy work and produce. This is due to the tireless efforts and the constructive spirit of the members of the Commission. This is also reflected in the latest report.

With regard to the work of UNCITRAL Working Group III, Austria welcomes the Statute of the Advisory

Centre on International Investment Dispute Resolution and the Supplementary Provisions on the Conduct of Proceedings to Resolve International Investment Disputes, both of which constitute important elements of the ongoing reform of investor-state dispute settlement. As the Working Group 3 is in the final stages of its work on this important matter, it is essential to maintain the momentum and to finalize the remaining instruments in 2027. In light of Austria's commitment to the rule of law, it is an honor to be a member of UNCITRAL and to host its secretariat in Vienna. We will continue to support the progressive harmonization and unification of international trade law.

I thank you.


6th Committee · Chair [2:32:41]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Austria for his statement, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Cote d'Ivoire. Madame la Presidente.


Côte d’Ivoire [2:32:57]:

Madam Chair, Cote d'Ivoire commends the holding of the 59th session of the UN Commission for International Trade Law from June 29th to July 10th, 2026 in New York and takes note of report A/81/17 produced following that session. My country aligns itself with the statement pronounced by the African Group and would like to make the following comments in its national capacity. Madam Chair, my delegation welcomes the progress made by UNCITRAL in modernizing international commercial law, especially when it comes to investor-state dispute settlement, e-commerce, transboundary insolvency, and the facilitation of trade financing. My country welcomes in particular the opening for signature on October 26, 2026 in Accra, Ghana, of the UN Convention on Negotiable Cargo Documents adopted by the General Assembly on December 15, 2025, and we encourage States to accede to it and to effectively implement it. Madam Chair, Cote d'Ivoire takes active part in the work of the Commission and is undertaking the adaptation of its own legislation to international norms and good practices. Over the period 2024-2025, several significant measures have been taken in my country with regard to tariffs, decrees on lifting tariffs as part of the African Continental Free Trade area, as well as the economic partnership agreement with the European Union, have been adopted. The Customs Administration launched in June 2024 a mechanism for early decisions that provides economic operators with greater predictability in the classification of tariffs and the origin of goods. In December 2025, Cote d'Ivoire became the first country to implement the trade post model of the Universal Postal Union, which aims to facilitate transboundary e-trade by incorporating customs logistics and data procedures. With regard to e-commerce, a decree on electronic exchanges between users and administrations has been ratified. with regard to arbitration, rules on insolvency, electronic signatures, and digital financial services help to strengthen the security of transactions and ensure confidence. This progress is in a continuation of our national law on e-transactions, which incorporates the essence of the principles of the UNCITRAL Model Law on e-commerce. My country once again thanks the Commission for its excellent collaboration, which has contributed to this progress. Madam Chair, my delegation welcomes the discussions initiated during the colloquium held in New York on February 16th and 17th, 2026, during which use cases of AI tools were examined. with regard to arbitration proceedings and recommendations on the future work of the Commission were issued. Cote d'Ivoire in 2025 officially submitted its national strategy for artificial intelligence and data governance. We are following with keen attention these developments. We believe that AI can greatly assist practitioners in certain tasks. we must remain vigilant as to the need to maintain human control over the arbitration decision. Madam Chair, my country notes with appreciation the considerable progress made in establishing texts to govern the Advisory Centre on International Investment Dispute Regulation. This mechanism aims to provide states, especially developing states, with legal and technical assistance to bolster their capacity to prevent and manage these disputes under more balanced conditions. To this end, Cote d'Ivoire reaffirms its candidacy to host one of the regional offices of the Advisory Center in Africa. The attractiveness of its business environment, the strategic location in West Africa, The rise of foreign direct investment and development of its infrastructure are all assets that can help bring the Centre's services closer to the states of the region and heighten their capacity to resolve investment-related disputes. Lastly, on this 60th anniversary of the Commission, my delegation pays tribute to this body for its six decades of contributions to the harmonization and modernization of international trade law. We reaffirm our willingness to constructively pursue its collaboration with the Commission. Thank you.


6th Committee · Chair [2:38:39]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Cote d'Ivoire for her statement, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of the Philippines.


Philippines [2:38:53]:

Thank you, Chair. The Philippines congratulates Ambassador Michael Imran Kainu of Sierra Leone for his successful chairship of the 59th session of the UNCITRAL and thanks him for his comprehensive presentation. We also thank Ms. Anna Jovan-Bret, Secretary of UNCITRAL, for her remarks and for the consistent support of the Secretariat to Member States. including in the conduct of the session. As UNCITRAL approaches its 60th anniversary, we commend the Commission for its sustained work in advancing its mandate to promote the progressive harmonization and unification of international trade law. Its contributions have strengthened legal certainty, facilitated international commerce and supported sustainable development. Chair, we welcome the finalization of the Statute of the Advisory Center on International Investment Dispute Resolution. It is an important milestone in reforming investor-state dispute settlement. For developing countries, including the Philippines, the financial and technical demands of investment disputes often present considerable challenges. The center offers an opportunity to address disparities in legal capacity and promote more equitable access to dispute settlement. We support an accessible, effective, and financially sustainable center, responsive particularly to the needs of developing and least developing countries. In this regard, we welcome the offers to host the center, including that of Thailand, and emphasize geographical accessibility and governance arrangements consistent with sovereign equality and established legal practice. Chair, we likewise welcome the adoption of the UNCITRAL Supplementary Provisions on the Conduct of Proceedings to Resolve International Investment Disputes, which should contribute to greater efficiency, fairness, and accessibility. We encourage the relevant working group to pursue practical, broadly acceptable reforms and effective implementation mechanisms. We supported the amendments to the UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration and the related recommendation concerning the interpretation of the New York Convention. These developments are particularly relevant to the Philippines, where the UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration forms part of our domestic legal framework through the Alternative Dispute Resolution Law. Our Supreme Court has continued to strengthen the legal and institutional framework for arbitration, including through jurisprudence on the enforcement of arbitral awards and ongoing efforts to review the special rules of court on alternative dispute resolution. These initiatives reflect our commitment to effective dispute resolution, judicial cooperation, and greater confidence in international commercial transactions. We welcome the UNCITRAL's effort to adapt arbitration frameworks to technological developments, including the recognition of arbitral awards and notices of arbitration in electronic form. These developments strengthen legal certainty in an increasingly digitalized commercial environment. Chair, the Philippines also welcomes UNCITRAL's continuing work on electronic commerce, digital trade, negotiable cargo documents, insolvency law, and dispute resolution in the digital economy. Our domestic legal framework has evolved in parallel with these developments. Our Electronic Commerce Act established the legal recognition of electronic documents and transactions. and more recently, the Internet Transactions Act of 2023 and its implementing regulations have strengthened the regulatory framework for electronic commerce, including the protection of online consumers and merchants. In the area of insolvency, the Financial Rehabilitation and Insolvency Act expressly incorporates the UNCITRAL Model Law on Cross-Border Insolvency, subject to applicable domestic provisions and procedural rules. These measures demonstrate the practical relevance of UNCITRAL's work to national legal systems and underscore the importance of international cooperation in addressing increasingly complex cross-border commercial transactions. We encourage the development of practical, technology-neutral and interoperable legal frameworks that take into account the capacities and circumstances of developing countries. Chair, we commend the UNCITRAL Regional Centre for Asia and the Pacific for its technical assistance, capacity building and outreach activities. The Philippines remains committed to these efforts, including through its contribution to the UNCITRAL Trust Fund, which we regard as an investment in more inclusive participation and effective implementation of international trade law. Finally, we underscore the importance of transparent and inclusive intergovernmental processes. Financial constraints should not compromise multilingualism, equitable geographic representation, or meaningful participation by developing countries. As UNCITRAL enters its seventh decade, its continued relevance will depend not only in its capacity to respond to emerging commercial and technological developments, but also on ensuring that the international legal framework for trade reflects the needs and interests of all states, particularly developing states. With this in mind, the Philippines remains committed to constructive engagement in UNCITRAL's work and to advancing its mandate. Thank you.


6th Committee · Chair [2:44:04]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Philippines. I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Canada.


Canada [2:44:12]:

Madam Chair, Thank you, Madam Chair. I will commence in English and conclude in French. Canada is pleased to participate in the deliberations of the Sixth Committee on the work of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law during its 59th session. Canada would first like to congratulate the Commission on the completion of several significant projects. Canada welcomes the adoption of the package of texts aimed at facilitating the use of arbitral awards and notices of arbitration in electronic form. These texts represent a key step in ensuring that UNCITRAL's arbitration framework continues to reflect contemporary commercial practices and evolving technological developments. Canada congratulates working groups four and five on the progress made on respectively the model legislative provisions and default rules for contracts for the provision of data and the draft model law on the law applicable in insolvency proceedings and its guide to enactment. Canada looks forward to the completion and presentation of both projects to the commission in 2027. In Working Group 3, Canada welcomes the finalization of supplementary rules and the good progress made on draft provisions on procedural and cross-cutting issues. While work remains on some of the items on the agenda for Working Group 3, we encourage the working group to complete its work in 2027 so that states can focus on implementation of these instruments, which will enable investor-state dispute settlement ISDS reform. With respect to future work, Canada emphasizes the importance of selecting projects that address clearly defined legal problems, fall within UNCITRAL's mandate, and can produce practical global solutions. Careful prioritization is essential to ensure the effective use of limited resources. In this regard, Canada welcomes the Commission's decisions concerning the arbitration rules electronic commerce texts, and paperless trade, secure transactions involving digital assets, and targeted updates to the model law on public procurement. Madame la Presidente.

Madame Chair, Canada also supports carefully scoped and coordinated preparatory work on digital platforms digital payments and emerging technologies in dispute resolution, as well as consideration of future updates to UNCITRAL's insolvency guidance. Any new work should be supported by sufficient evidence and should not delay the completion of existing priority projects. Canada appreciates the Commission's continued attention to its working methods in the context of significant financial and resource constraints. Canada supports measures that promote efficiency while preserving multilingualism, transparency, inclusiveness, the quality of UNCITRAL's legislative work and the broad participation of states. Finally, as UNCITRAL marks the 60th anniversary of its establishment, Canada recognizes the Commission's substantial contribution to the harmonization, modernization, and progressive development of international trade law. Canada thanks the UNCITRAL Secretariat for its continued expertise, dedication, and support. Thank you.


6th Committee · Chair [2:48:26]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Canada for his statement, and I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Armenia.


Armenia [2:48:37]:

Thank you, Madam Chair. At the outset, I would like to join other colleagues who spoke before me in congratulating Ambassador Imran Khanu for his successful chairmanship during the 59th session of the UNCITRAL and also welcoming Secretary of UNCITRAL among us. Madam Chair. As a member of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law, Armenia remains committed to actively contributing to the commission's work and deliberations aimed at harmonizing legal frameworks and modernizing international trade law in response to the evolving concerns and challenges facing states in an area of unprecedented globalization and rapid technological advancement, where commerce transcends borders and digital trade continues to expand. We welcome the report of the 59th session of the Commission and commend the progress achieved in the reform of investor-state dispute settlement, including the finalization of the draft statute of the Advisory Center on International Investment Dispute Resolution and the adoption of supplementary provisions on the conduct of proceedings to resolve international investment disputes. These outcomes represent meaningful progress towards strengthening procedural fairness, improving access to legal expertise, and promoting a more balanced, transparent, and effective framework for the resolution of international investment disputes. Armenia attaches great importance to advancing a balanced, inclusive, and effective reform process as an essential step towards the progressive development and modernization of international trade law. while ensuring equitable access to justice for all states. In this spirit, and with a view to facilitating discussions on the establishment and operationalization of the Advisory Center, Armenia hosted the second meeting in Yerevan last year. In this regard, Armenia reiterates its willingness to host the regional office of the Advisory Center. and stands ready to contribute meaningfully to the center's core mission of supporting developing countries and the least developing countries through capacity building, technical assistance, and enhanced access to expertise, thereby strengthening their ability to effectively participate in international investment dispute proceedings. Armenia's strategic location at the crossroads of East and West, combined with a cost-effective operating environment and a strong pool of highly qualified professionals, offers considerable advantages for the establishment of a regional office. Competitive operational costs, including salaries and utilities, together with access to high-level information technology and cybersecurity expertise, would enable the advisory center to maximize the resources available for capacity building and technical assistance. Furthermore, the government of Armenia stands ready to provide centrally located promises in the capital city Yerevan, cover the office's operational costs for the first year, and extend institutional support through the Office of the Representative on International Legal Matters. which has specialized expertise in international arbitration and dispute resolution. Madam Chair, Armenia remains firmly committed to contributing to UNCITRAL's work and to strengthening international cooperation through dialogue, mutual trust, and legal certainty. We believe that the establishment of the advisory center, supported by an inclusive and accessible regional presence, would constitute an important step towards ensuring that all states, regardless of their resources, can effectively engage in international investment dispute settlements. And I thank you.


6th Committee · Chair [2:52:42]:

Thank the distinguished representative of Armenia for her statement. And I give the floor to the distinguished representative of Mexico.


Mexico [2:53:00]:

Madam Chair, we have read with care the reports of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law regarding the work done at its 59th session. In that regard, we welcome the conclusion of the draft statute for the Advisory Centre on International Investment Dispute Resolution and the supplementary provisions of UNCITRAL on conduct of proceedings to resolve international investment disputes. These represent a significant step forward in the Commission's efforts to contribute to a dispute settlement system and an investor-state dispute settlement system that is more coherent, predictable and effective. We support the approval of the recommendation on the interpretation of the Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards regarding arbitral awards in electronic form, as well as amendments to the articles in the Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration and the relevant changes to its explanatory note. The New York Convention and the Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration are fundamental instruments for the international legal framework in the area of arbitration. Therefore, we are pleased that the Commission has addressed the challenges resulting from digitization through interpretation and harmonization work that adapts these instruments to the evolving and current practices while preserving the fundamentals and coherence of the international arbitration system. We believe that the modernization of international trade law should support technological transformation without losing sight of compliance with existing legal instruments. Normative innovation is truly valuable it makes it possible to address new realities while at the same time preserving certainty and predictability of legal relationships. It's important to continue to explore emerging issues in the digital economy. However, we feel that potential normative work should be rooted in a clearly identified legal need, a sufficient evaluation of the existing practice of current jurisdictions, and an analysis of the viability of a legislative response. This approach is relevant given the budgetary restrictions currently being faced. The determination of future areas of work should be carried out rigorously, allocating available resources to subjects where there is a concrete need for development, harmonization or modernization. and in areas where the work of the Commission can provide identifiable technical value. We highlight the importance of cooperation between the Commission and other entities whose mandates are linked to the areas of its mandate, in particular the Hague Conference on Private International Law and the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law. We are convinced that this coordination would make it possible to build upon existing progress, avoid the duplication of efforts and promote coherent progress in legal harmonisation processes. Madam Chair, this year is particularly meaningful for the Commission because we mark its 60th anniversary of its establishment through Resolution 2205 of 17 December 1965. 66. Over these six decades, the Commission has made essential contributions to the progressive development and harmonization of international trade law, supporting the Member States in the face of transformations in the international economy. Its work has made it possible to develop legal responses to address the challenges of each age, from international markets to settlement dispute, cross-border insolvency and the digitalization of trade. We welcome the progress achieved by UNCITRAL over these years and we reaffirm the value of its legal work. Finally, we reiterate our commitment to the technical dialogue that underpins the work of the Commission. We are convinced that this dialogue will continue to be the cornerstone for the development of legal solutions that can respond to the realities of temporary international trade. Thank you very much.


6th Committee · Chair [2:57:23]:

I thank the distinguished representative of Mexico, our last speaker for this agenda item this afternoon. I also thank Chair of UNSCITRAL, Ambassador Michael Kanu, and Secretary Ms. Juba Ambarrett for participating and staying with us this afternoon. The Sixth Committee will continue and conclude its debate on agenda item 76, report of the United Nations Commission on International Trade on the work of its 59th session tomorrow morning, following which it will turn to the consideration of agenda item 150, administration of justice at the United Nations. The meeting is adjourned.