On 11-13 March 2026, the Treaty Section of the Office of Legal Affairs organized for the first time a Workshop on Treaty Law and Practice for the Pacific in Suva, Fiji, in cooperation with the Government of Austria, the Government of Fiji, the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Secretariat and the Centre for International Law of the National University of Singapore.
The three-day workshop brought together 40 senior officials from Ministries of Foreign Affairs and other government agencies of PIF Member governments such as Australia, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
Participants discussed key aspects of treaty law and practice, notably the role and practice of the Secretary-General of the United Nations as depositary of multilateral treaties, registration and publication of treaties under Article 102 of the Charter, and treaty-making at the United Nations. The workshop also held specialized sessions on the processes leading to the adoption of the Agreement to establish the Pacific Resilience Facility and the BBNJ Agreement, as well as the role of the Pacific Community in advising on and facilitating the conclusion of maritime boundary treaties in the region, led by representatives of the PIF Secretariat, the Centre for International Law of the National University of Singapore, and the Pacific Community.
Throughout the workshop, participants highlighted the importance of treaties in addressing key Pacific priorities, including sustainable development, ocean governance, climate action, and regional cooperation.Â
The Treaty Section organizes capacity-building workshops at the UN Headquarters in New York twice a year, and at the national and regional levels upon invitation by Member States or interested organizations. In its resolution 80/170 of 15 December 2025, the General Assembly invited states, organizations and institutions to make voluntary contributions towards the financing of regional and national workshops on treaty law and practice.Â
More information regarding the Treaty Section capacity-building programmes can be found on theÂ
