The far-reaching US proposals to amend the International Health Regulations at the upcoming 75th World Health Assembly: A call for attention

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The far-reaching US proposals to amend the International Health Regulations at the upcoming 75th World Health Assembly: A call for attention

May 18, 2022

Dr Silvia Behrendt

Dr Amrei Müller

The upcoming 75th World Health Assembly (WHA) to be held in Geneva from 22-28th May 2022 will potentially adopt far-reaching amendments to the 2005 International Health Regulations (IHR). The IHR is currently the most important multilateral treaty regulating the global architecture for health emergency, preparedness, response and resilience (HEPR architecture). The extensive amendments to the IHR have been initiated by the United States (US), listed as agenda item WHA75/18 for the 75th WHA. The amendments are already backed by 19 co-sponsor states and the EU. As of yet, there has been almost no public awareness or debate of the substantial amendments to the IHR although the WHO Secretariat circulated the US initiative first in January 2022 to state parties. The US initiative contradicts the gist of a report by the WHO Director-General issued in November 2021 which sketched out some of the amendments now tabled by the US, but which also indicated that the IHR…

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Setting the Cat amongst Pigeons: Kosovo’s Application for Membership of the Council of Europe

May 17, 2022

Andrew Forde

Kosovo is one of the few places in Europe not party to the European Convention on Human Rights due to a legacy conflict with Serbia. Kosovo declared independence in 2008 after a bloody war followed by a period of international administration, but this is strongly disputed by Serbia which claims exclusive sovereignty over the entire territory. The conflict…

The rocky road to peace II: additional challenges at the Special Jurisdiction for Peace in Colombia

May 12, 2022

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The transitional justice process in Colombia and the institution at its centre, the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP), have faced a series of difficulties (see here and here). Aware of this, the Prosecutor of the ICC announced on 28 October 2021 the closure of the country’s preliminary examination. This decision was partly motivated by the JEP’s progress…

Self-sanctioning Russia

May 11, 2022

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Private Supplements to Public Regulation Commercial actors around the world are reacting to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine by voluntarily reducing their exposure to Russia-connected trades. Although the economic sanctions imposed by the EU, UK, US, Japan, and other major powers have been rapid and sweeping, the deliberate choice by the business community to willingly de-couple…

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ICJ Decision Helps to End Environmental Dispute Between Argentina and Uruguay

November 20, 2010 Dapo Akande

The BBC is reporting that Argentina and Uruguay have settled a seven year environmental dispute concerning a pulp mill. The dispute was submitted to the ICJ which rendered its judgment in April this year. According to the BBC: Argentina and Uruguay both say they are happy after a deal…

The Consequence of the UN Resolution on Israeli Settlements for the EU: Stop Trade with Settlements

April 4, 2017 Tom Moerenhout

The recent UN Security Council Resolution 2334 (2016) reaffirmed that the establishment of Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory has no legal validity and that Israel’s settlement enterprise is a flagrant violation of international law. The resolution also calls upon all States “to distinguish, in their…

Of Temporal Jurisdiction and Power Struggles in the ICC’s Palestine Investigation

January 22, 2020 Daphné Richemond-Barak

It’s been five years since Palestine made the much-awaited move of requesting the International Criminal Court to investigate crimes allegedly committed by Israel “in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, since June 13, 2014.” Like last month’s decision of the Prosecutor announcing…

COVID-19 Lockdown in India – Need For A Tailored Approach As One Size Does Not Fit All Its Regions

April 25, 2020 Sarthak Roy Niriksha Sanghvi

The coronavirus disease (or covid-19) pandemic has created an unprecedented situation across the world with States struggling to treat infected persons and contain the spread of the virus, which has no known cure as yet. The impact of this virus is predicted to be even more devastating for…

Still Losing: A Short History of Women in Elections (and By-Elections) for the UN International Law Commission

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On 12 November 2021, the UN General Assembly held the sixteenth regular election for the International Law Commission (ILC). As the Assembly extended the mandate of the current members until the end of 2022, in response to the exceptional situation created by…

Germany and its Involvement in the US Drone Programme before German Administrative Courts

April 8, 2019 Leander Beinlich

On 19th March 2019, the German Higher Administrative Court for North Rhine-Westphalia rendered a highly interesting and important judgment. It addresses no less than the compatibility of US drone strikes in Yemen with international law, the role of domestic courts with regard to international law, and the scope…

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