Joint Nordic Statement on Strengthening and promoting the international treaty framework

Check Against Delivery

Mr. Chair,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the five Nordic countries, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and my own country, Denmark.

The Nordic countries consider that the depositaries of multilateral treaties play an important role in the functioning of the international treaty framework, and are essential in recording and communicating actions related to multilateral treaties. We therefore welcome a thematic debate in the Committee to foster a technical exchange of views on practice relating to the strengthening and promoting of the international framework and in that regard the opportunity to comment on the subtopic “Best practices of depositaries of multilateral treaties” pursuant to resolution 76/120.

The different Nordic countries are depositaries for a number of multilateral treaties and especially treaties concerning the Nordic countries as a result of a historical strong cooperation between the Nordic countries. The Secretary-General of the United Nations, who is the depositary of more than 600 multilateral treaties, sets an excellent example for all depositaries, and the Summary of Practice of the Secretary-General as Depositary of Multilateral Treaties provides important guidance on the depositary practice of the United Nations.

The Nordic countries welcome the amendments made in 2018 and 2021 to the regulations giving effect to article 102 of the Charter of the United Nations, which have helped to simplify the treaty registration and publication process and have adapted the regulations to the new developments in the registration practice. The Nordic countries are of the view that it is useful that the role of depositaries in the registration of treaties is now explicitly recognized in article 1, paragraph 3, of the regulations. However, the Nordic countries believe that further use of modern electronic methods in the registration and publication process remains an important aspect to consider and we welcome further discussions on an online treaty registration system.

The Nordic countries continue to support the efforts of the Sixth Committee on the subject.

Thank you