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Sierra Leone has successfully chaired the 59th session of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), overseeing the adoption of significant legal reforms aimed at modernising international trade law and strengthening the global rules-based trading system.
The session, held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York from 29 June to 10 July 2026, was presided over by Sierra Leone’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Dr Michael Imran Kanu. The meeting brought together representatives of UN Member States and legal experts to consider key issues relating to international trade law as UNCITRAL approaches its 60th anniversary.
One of the session’s major achievements was the completion of the draft Statute of the Advisory Centre on International Investment Dispute Resolution. The draft statute will now be submitted to the United Nations General Assembly for adoption.
The Commission also adopted the UNCITRAL Supplementary Provisions on the Conduct of Proceedings to Resolve International Investment Disputes, marking a significant step towards making investor-State dispute settlement more accessible and effective, particularly for developing countries.
The Commission further adopted measures to strengthen international arbitration in the digital era. These included a recommendation on the interpretation of the New York Convention concerning arbitral awards issued in electronic form, revisions to the UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration, and an additional note to the UNCITRAL Notes on Organising Arbitral Proceedings.
In addition, member states agreed on a forward-looking programme of work covering a wide range of emerging issues in international trade. These include dispute resolution in the digital economy, consolidation of e-commerce legal texts, paperless trade, digital payments, digital platforms, secured transactions involving digital assets, insolvency law, public procurement, and automated contracting.
During the session, the Commission also paid tribute to the late Ambassador Julia Emma Villatoro Tario of El Salvador, who chaired the 58th session of UNCITRAL, in recognition of her contributions to the Commission’s work.
Looking ahead, the United Nations Convention on Negotiable Cargo Documents will open for signature in Accra, Ghana, on 26 October 2026, marking a significant milestone for the African continent. UNCITRAL will also commemorate its 60th anniversary through a series of global events running from July 2026 to July 2027, culminating in a commemorative celebration in Vienna on 17 December 2026.
Sierra Leone’s successful leadership of the 59th UNCITRAL session reflects the country’s growing role in multilateral diplomacy and its continued commitment to promoting the harmonisation, modernisation, and progressive development of international trade law.
