The Faculty of Law (UP Law) at the University of Pretoria celebrates and extends congratulations to Professor Dire Tladi, Professor of International law in the Department of Public Law, and a Research Fellow at the Institute of Comparative and International Law in Africa (ICLA), on his election as Chairperson of the United Nations (UN) International Law Commission (UN ILC). The UN ILC is the body responsible for the progressive development and codification of international law in the UN system.

Tladi has served on the UN ILC since 2012, and held several offices since then:  In 2013, he was elected Chair of the Drafting Committee, in 2014 Rapporteur of the Commission, and in 2021, he was elected First Vice-Chair.  On 19 April 2022, Tladi was elected Chairperson of the UN ILC.

The main function of the Chair is to steer the work of the Commission in a particular session not only through chairing the meeting, but also engaging in informal consultations to reach decisions on a myriad of matters, such as the programme of work and new topics. The Chair of the UN ILC also carries the responsibility of representing the Commission in any number of forums and places including in the General Assembly of the UN, where he will present the report of the Commission.

Tladi’s election underscores his standing and impact in the International law sphere.

In addition to serving as Chair, Tladi is also currently serving as Special Rapporteur for the topic ‘Peremptory norms of general International law (Jus cogens)’, which the UN ILC is debating currently. Jus cogens norms are norms accepted and recognised by the international community of States as a whole as a norm from which no derogation is permitted and which can be modified only by a subsequent norm of general international law having the same character.