By Diana Kintu
The Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Anita Among, officially welcomed delegates from across the world to Uganda for a very important international meeting. On her official social media page, she shared a message from the government to the people of Uganda about this significant event.
The meeting is the 63rd annual session of the Asian-African Legal Consultative Organisation (AALCO) held at Speke Resort Munyonyo on the beautiful shores of Lake Victoria.
On behalf of His Excellency the President, the Government, and the people of Uganda, Speaker Among expressed her “profound honour” in welcoming the delegates. She stated that Uganda is proud to be “the Pearl of Africa” hosting this event. The delegates include legal experts and government representatives from across Asia and Africa, as well as observers and partners from other global organisations.
Hosting this meeting is a major privilege for the country. This is only the second time Uganda has been chosen to host AALCO. The first time was over thirty years ago, in 1993. The government has used this opportunity to “reaffirm our unwavering commitment to the organization’s objectives as a member state.”
This meeting is AALCO’s highest decision-making body. It is where member countries come together to “shape ideas, forge consensus, and chart our collective efforts for the year ahead.” It is more than just a meeting; it is a demonstration of a shared vision for using international law to strengthen ties between Asia and Africa.
For Ugandans who may not be familiar with AALCO, Speaker Among explained its important history. The organization’s story began nearly seventy years ago after a famous historic meeting called the Bandung Conference in 1955.
It started in 1956 as the Asian Legal Consultative Committee with just seven founding nations. It has now grown into a large organisation with 49-member states, representing nearly all the major countries of Asia and Africa. This growth shows how much trust and importance the world places in AALCO as a platform for legal cooperation.
The organisation was made permanent in 1981 because of its “substantial contributions… to international law from an Afro-Asian perspective.” This means it gives countries from our continents a powerful and united voice in global legal matters.
In summary, Uganda’s hosting of this prestigious conference is a moment of national pride. It puts the country on the global stage and shows its active role in promoting international law, cooperation, and solidarity between the great continents of Asia and Africa.