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International cooperation in the Northern Forum: emerging new norms in international law?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  31 October 2011

Md. Waliul Hasanat
Md. Waliul Hasanat*
Affiliation:
Faculty of Law, University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh
*
Presently at Northern Institute for Environmental and Minority Law, Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, Rovaniemi, Finland ([email protected])
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Abstract

The Northern Forum has been in existence for more than two decades. The cooperative initiatives implement through the forum allow sub-national governments from different parts of the world to improve the quality of life of northern inhabitants and to support their sustainable development. Over time, the forum has established a clear structure with self-created rules and guidelines. However, its legal status is somewhat ambiguous: it has neither fulfilled the essential criteria of an international organisation nor that of an intergovernmental cooperative body. Nevertheless, these shortcomings are not immense obstacles to the forum's ability to serve the well being of residents of the northern regions. The forum has granted membership to business organisations, as well as to sub-national governments, which is an innovative concept in international cooperation. This article examines the evolution, administrative system, and legal status of the forum along with its contribution to the development of international law. The article concludes with observations on how this unique international regional co-operation forum could be characterised under international law and whether it has any influence in creating new norms in international administrative and environmental law.

Type
Research Article
Information
Polar Record , Volume 48 , Issue 4 , October 2012 , pp. 372 - 386
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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