New York - The member states of the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP) on Friday, at the UN headquarters in New York, welcomed the activity carried out by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which has contributed significantly to strengthening and clarifying the rules of International Law.
Speaking on CPLP's behalf, on Friday (03), during the plenary meeting of the UN General Assembly that analyzed the report of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the Permanent Representative of Angola to the United Nations, Francisco José da Cruz, highlighted the fact that the Court is also paying due attention to other international courts' works.
According to the diplomat, the CPLP recognizes the role played by the Court over the seventy-seven years since its inaugural session, in guaranteeing the peaceful resolution of disputes and in clarifying the rules of international law on which its decisions are based, with integrity, impartiality and independence, as well as its readiness to face challenges.
“We praise the work of the Court as the main judicial body of the United Nations, in resolving disputes between States and in maintaining and promoting the rule of law in the international system”, he highlighted.
The CPLP countries, he added, value the fact that the Court decides on disputes voluntarily presented by states, under their sovereign law, recognizing that the cases submitted have been growing in factual and legal complexity.
They note that, from 1 August 2022 to 31 July 2023, the period under review, the Court registered a high level of activity, having been confronted with a variety of issues linked to territorial and maritime delimitation, diplomatic missions, human rights, reparation for international illicit acts, interpretation and application of international treaties and conventions, environmental protection, and delivering judgments and public hearings via video connection and, later, in a hybrid format.
They are also pleased that the Court has adjusted its working methods in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, using videoconferencing technology and data processing services to continue running its judicial functions.
According to Ambassador Francisco José da Cruz, the CPLP countries are sure that, with the resumption of pre-pandemic working methods, the Court will increase its capacity for action in order to respond to the various challenges.
In this perspective, they commit to supporting ICJ's mission in order to continue to play a fundamental role in resolving disputes between states, as well as reinforcing the international rule of law in favour of justice and peace.
The CPLP, he added, remains confident that the court, as the main judicial body of the United Nations, will continue its fundamental work in accordance with the provisions of the United Nations Charter and its Statute, making a tangible contribution to the consolidation of the Rule of Law in the world.
The ICJ is the main judicial body of the United Nations and it is composed of 15 judges, chosen by the General Assembly on the recommendation of the United Nations Security Council.
Based in The Hague, Netherlands, the Court's Judges are elected for a nine-year term and must represent different legal systems from around the world.
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