Mārtiņš Paparinskis becomes the first representative of the Baltic States in the International Law Commission

On 12 November 2021 in New York, a representative of Latvia, Dr. Mārtiņš Paparinskis, having won against intense competition, was elected to the International Law Commission (ILC) for the term of 2023-2027.

This is the first time that the Baltic States nominate a candidate for the Commission. As the result of an active campaign, Mārtiņš Paparinskis succeeded in gaining a higher profile internationally and interregional support in the elections where seven strong candidates had been nominated for the three vacant seats in the Eastern European States group.

By nominating their candidate, Latvia and the Baltic States have confirmed their preparedness to the strengthening of international law and multilateral international relations. It is vital that a representative of the Baltic States will take part in, and contribute to development processes in international law at the time when answers are being sought to new global challenges. Success of a Latvian expert at the ILC elections also carries weight given Latvia’s preparations to run for the election to the United Nations Security Council in 2025. 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs would like to thank Mārtiņš Paparinskis for his endeavours and excellent results at the elections and wishes him all success in his work on the International Law Commission.

Dr. Mārtiņš Paparinskis is Associate Professor in Public International Law at University College London, Faculty of Laws. Currently he is a member of the Permanent Court of Arbitration and a conciliator at the OSCE Court of Conciliation and Arbitration. He is also a member of Panels of Arbitrators and of Conciliators of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes, a member of the Management Board of the EU Fundamental Rights Agency, and a member of the UN Economic Commission’s for Europe (UN ECE) Implementation Committee of the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes.

The main task of the International Law Commission (ILC) https://legal.un.org/ilc/ is the progressive development of international law and its codification. The ILC was established in 1947 and is composed of 34 independent experts elected by the UN General Assembly. The ILC has led to the adoption of many important instruments of international law.