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Adapting International Law to the Development of the Third World

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 July 2009

Maurice Flory
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Extract

What is the connection between international law and economic development? The answer will very likely be different according to whether the question is asked in a developed country or in one of the 120 less-developed countries. Consequently the answer can only be found in international law itself.

Criticism has been levelled against the International Law Commission on the ground that its work only deals with the traditional topics which constitute the core of international law. Such criticism implies that the Commission has failed to perceive the need for developing international law adequately to encompass new areas.

Of course this assertion could be disputed. However, the General Secretary of the United Nations, in a Survey of International Law published in April, 1971, clearly points to a number of newly emerging areas of concern, including the law relating to economic development which comprises the following headings:

1. international legal rules and measures concerning regulation and coordination of the economic activities of states;

2. international trade;

3. economic and technical assistance.

In order to assess the full implication of this question, it should be appreciated that the activities of the U.N. and of a growing number of international economic institutions are now devoted increasingly to development. The numerous relevant publications issued especially, but not only, by Third World lawyers show how this matter is becoming of fundamental importance. Indeed, there can be little doubt that Foreign Office legal advisers would readily admit that much of their daily work involves questions of international economic law. Nevertheless, if one looks at the role allocated to this subject by what may loosely be called the established international law, one must recognise that this is, indeed, a very modest role.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of African Law , Volume 26 , Issue 1: International Law and Development: Perspectives for the 1980s , Spring 1982 , pp. 12 - 20
Copyright
Copyright © School of Oriental and African Studies 1982

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References

1 For the literature: Flory, M., Droit international du développement, Paris, 1977Google Scholar.

2 See, e.g., Ramcharan, B. G., “The International Law Commission”, [1975] Y.B.W.A., 283;Google ScholarNawaz, M. K., “Future Work Programme of the International Law Commission“, (1972) Indian Journal of International Law, 71Google Scholar; the Secretary General's Survey of International Law admitted “Although not exclusively so, the achievements of the Commission have been in areas of traditional international law …“, U.N. Doc. A/CN. 4/245 (1971)Google Scholar.

3 Ibid.

4 U.N. and all the specialised agencies have to deal with the specific problems of the developing countries; some are more directly involved such as the World Bank, I.M.F., UNIDO; UNCTAD is playing a leading role in this field.

5 See more particularly Pays en vote du developpement et transformation du droit international, Société Françchise du Droit International, Colloque d'Aix en Provence, Paris, 1974Google Scholar; Droit international et développement, Colloque d'Alger 11–14 10, 1976, Alger, O.P.U., 1978Google Scholar; Bedjaoui, Mohammed, Pour un nouvelordre economique international, UNESCO, Paris, 1978Google Scholar.

6 See below the distinction between international economic law and international law dealing with economic development.

7 The most well-known textbooks on international law generally ignore the problem and leave it to more specialised studies. The French textbook by Thierry, H., Combacau, J., Sur, S. and Vallée, C., devoting one of its 14 chapters to the droit international du développement, constitutes a noticeable exceptionGoogle Scholar.

8 The first achieved expression of the N.I.E.O. was issued in 1974 as the Algiers Charter by the Group of 77.Google Scholar Soon after was held (under the presidency of the Algerian Bouteflika) the special session of the General Assembly which was devoted to this subject. It adopted two resolutions on the establishment of a N.I.E.O., A.G. 3201 and 3202 (s.VI). A few months later the General Assembly adopted the Charter of Economic Rights and Duties of States, 3281 (XXIX).

9 Colliard, C. A., “Cadre institutio inel et technique d'elaboration du droit”, in Colloque d'Aix en Provence, op. cit. 99.Google Scholar

10 The Atlantic Charter (1943) deals in its Preamble and in article 55 with economic progress and development.

11 The U.N. Charter devotes its chapters IX and X to economic and social co-operation.

12 General Assembly Resolution 2626 (XXV) para. 6.

13 For the first time in the history of the U.N. a General Assembly session was convened for the exclusive purpose of discussing development questions.

14 For more precision on this concept, see below, p. 19Google Scholar.

15 This is by contrast with other texts such as the well-known resolution G.A. 1803 (XVII) on Permanent Sovereignty over Natural Resources, passed by 87 votes to 2, with 12 abstentions.

16 Lauterpacht, H., The Function of Law in the International Community, 1933, 248.Google Scholar

17 G.A. 3201 (s. VI), 1 05, 1974Google Scholar.

18 On these criticisms see the useful bibliography given in Bardonnet, J., Le Succession d'Etats a Madegascar, Paris, 1970, 333Google Scholar, n. 65. Also Bedjaoui, M., op. cit., and “Non alignement et droit international”, (1976) Recueil de Cours 339Google Scholar.

19 SirFitzmaurice, G., “The Future of Public International Law“, Livre du Centenaire, Institut du Droit International, Bale, 1973, 230Google Scholar.

20 See Bedjaoui, M., op. cit., esp. 100Google Scholar; Levi, W., “Are developing states more equal than others?” [1978] Y.B.W.A. 287Google Scholar.

21 As for instance the 1979 UNCTAD V and the 1980 UNIDO conferences.

22 See Colliard, , op. cit.; Viaud, P. M., “Role de la CNUCED dans l'élaboration d'un droit du développement”Google Scholar, ibid. 118.

23 See Bourrinet, J. (ed.), Le dialogue Euro-Arabe, Paris, 1979, 147Google Scholar.

24 Virally, M. “Vers un droit international du développement?” A.F.D.I., 1965, 3Google Scholar; Flory, M., op. cit.; Pellet, A., Le droit international du développement, que sais-je? Paris, 1978Google Scholar; Thierry, H., Combacau, J., Sur, S., Vallée, C., Droit international public, Paris, 1979Google Scholar.

25 This principle of a plurality of regimes regulates the trade relations between E.E.C. and all the developing countries either through the Lomé Convention or through the Generalised System of Preferences.

26 See Bizec, R. F. and Daudet, Y. (eds.), Un code de conduite pour le transfert de technology, Paris, 1980, 193Google Scholar.

27 Draft Convention on the Law of the Sea, A/Conf. 62/L. 78, 08 1981Google Scholar.

28 “Declaration on Principles of International Law concerning Friendly Relations and Cooperation among States in accordance with the U.N. Charter” (G.A. 2625 (XXV)).

29 This reference to civilisation is still in use in Art. 38 of the Statute of the International Court of justice.

30 See Lacharriere, G. de, “L'influence de l'inégalité du développement des Etats sur le droit international”, (1973) 139 Recueil des Cours 227–269Google Scholar. Flory, M., “Inégalite économique et evolution/du droit international”, in Pays en vote du dévoloppement et transformation du droit international Paris, 1974Google Scholar.

31 [1969]I.C.J. Rep. 49Google Scholar.

32 SirFitzmaurice, G., op. cit., 230.Google Scholar

33 Charter of Economic Rights and Duties of States, arts. 1, 2, 7, G.A. Resolution 3281 (XXIX).

34 See du Lacharriere, G., “Aspects recents du développement d'un pays comme moins deéveloppé”, (1967) Annuaire Francais du Droit International, 703Google Scholar; “Identification et statut de pays moins développés”, ibid., 1971, 461; “La catégorie juridique des pays en voie du développement“, in Pays en vote du développement et transformation du droxt international, op. cit., 41Google Scholar.

35 The first Lomé Convention (1975) drew up a list of 34 less-developed countries for Stabex (arts. 17, 24) and a list of 24 less-developed countries for special aid (art. 48). The second Lomé Convention (1980) in its art. 155 drew up three lists for the least-developed countries, for the landlocked countries and for the island countries.

36 Art. 10 of the U.N. Charter. South West Africa Cases (Second Phase) [1966] I.C.J. Rep. 51Google Scholar.

37 See Bedjaoui, M., op. cit., 181Google Scholar; Anjak, F., “La signification juridique de la Chartre de droits et devoirs economiques des Etats“, in Colloque d'Alger, op. cit. 63.Google Scholar

38 For the literature: Award on the merits in dispute between Texaco Overseas Petroleum Company/California Asiatic Oil Company and the government of the Libyan Arab Republic (1978) Int. Leg. Materials, 28, para. 83.

39 See Cheng, Bin, “U. N. Resolutions on outer space, Instant International Customary Law?” (1965) 5Indian Journal of International Law 23Google Scholar.

40 Texaco Arbitration Award, op. cit., para. 83.

41 See Lacharriere, G. de, “N. U. et consensus“, (1968) Annuaire Francais du Droit International 9Google Scholar; H. Cassan, “Le consensus dans le pratique des N. U.“, ibid. 1974, 456.

42 Texaco Arbitration, op. cit. paras. 86–88.

43 See Virally, M., “Le deuxième décennie pour le développement”, (1970) Annuaire Francais de Droit International, 9.Google Scholar

44 See Dupuy, R. J., “Coutume sage et coutume sauvage”, in Melanges Rousseau, 1974, ParisGoogle Scholar; “Droit declaratoire et droit programmatoire, de la coutume sauvage à le soft law“, Colloque Toulouse: L'elaboration du droit international, 1975 ParisGoogle Scholar.

45 Jenks, W., The Common Law of Mankind, London, 1958, 92Google Scholar.