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PP RUEHRN
DE RUEHRN #0042/01 1761215
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P R 251215Z JUN 09
FM USMISSION UN ROME
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1110
INFO RUEHC/USAID WASHDC
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0335
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA 0037
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0257
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 0021
RUEHRN/USMISSION UN ROME 1184

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 UN ROME 000042 
 
SIPDIS 
 
INL FOR J.JEFFREY, USAID FOR K.CRAWFORD, KABUL FOR G.PETERS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL EAID ECON EFIN AF
SUBJECT: THE INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LAW ORGANIZATION TURNS 25 
 
¶1.  Summary:  The International Development Law Organization 
(IDLO) hosted a 25th anniversary celebration at their Rome 
headquarters on June 4, 2009, entitled "IDLO at 25 - Embracing 
Change."  The celebration noted the growth and past 
accomplishments of IDLO and focused on the Organization's need 
for long-term institutional change.  Among the notable 
accomplishments of IDLO is their work in Afghanistan to 
establish the rule of law and provide legal protection to the 
poor and disempowered.  The strategic plan of IDLO for dealing 
with future challenges was presented as a "bottom-up" strategy 
of legal reform, involving multiple levels and actors working on 
defined national priorities rather than discrete projects.  IDLO 
is concerned that the financial crisis may reduce aid levels, 
but plans to use the crisis as an opportunity to push through 
regulatory reform of investments and corporate governance.  IDLO 
is in the process of selecting a new Director-General to replace 
the current DG William Loris, with an American Citizen among the 
"official" candidates.  End summary. 
 
IDLO CELEBRATES 25 YEARS 
¶2.  The International Development Law Organization ("IDLO") 
hosted a 25th Anniversary Celebration at their Rome headquarters 
on June 4 entitled "IDLO at 25 - Embracing Change."  The 
celebration noted the development and past accomplishments of 
IDLO, and focused on the need for long-term institutional change 
for the Organization to continue to work effectively in a 
changing world.  Programs on key topics included: 
"Peace-Building & Assistance in Post-Conflict Countries;" and 
"Trends in Law and Development." 
 
HISTORY OF IDLO 
¶3.  IDLO Director-General Loris spoke at the opening session on 
the Organization's past and the need for long-term institutional 
change.  IDLO was created in 1983 as a Dutch foundation by a 
group of lawyers concerned by what they viewed as a lack of 
balance in international negotiations.  In 1988, IDLO was 
re-founded as an intergovernmental organization through a 
multilateral convention.  In 2001, the United Nations General 
Assembly granted IDLO Observer Status.  IDLO is the only 
inter-governmental organization wholly dedicated to promoting 
the rule of law and good governance in developing and 
post-conflict countries.  Loris noted how the rule of law is 
essential for security, economic growth, and social development. 
 Loris also highlighted three areas of continued concern for 
IDLO's future:  improved access to leaders and decision-makers; 
building trust, i.e., IDLO should be seen as non-political; and 
demonstrating results, so IDLO may gain the necessary resources 
from a dwindling pool. 
 
IDLO ACTIVITIES IN AFGHANISTAN 
¶4.  H.E. Prof. Musa M. Maroofi, Ambassador of Afghanistan to 
Italy, spoke on the significant contributions IDLO has made to 
establishing the rule of law in Afghanistan.  IDLO has provided 
significant peace-building assistance to post-Taliban 
Afghanistan by helping rebuild the country's judicial structure. 
 In 2002, after Taliban efforts to eliminate copies of written 
law, IDLO mounted a worldwide effort to reassemble over 2400 
Afghan laws, representing most of the legislation produced 
during the last century.  IDLO assisted in drafting the Afghan 
Constitution, notable for its inclusion of the freedom of 
expression and disallowance of discrimination based on gender. 
IDLO has trained over 1500 legal professionals in Afghanistan on 
the interpretation and application of the national law, 
effective court management, and trial skills.  IDLO has 
published a pamphlet which explains to Afghans their legal 
rights, textbooks for lawyers, and benchbooks for Afghan judges. 
 The Organization is also working closely with national and 
international groups on the establishment of an independent 
Afghan Bar Association. 
 
¶5.  Afghan lawyers trained by IDLO established the Legal Aid 
Organization of Afghanistan (LAOA), which provides legal 
representation for the nation's poor and disempowered.  LAOA 
provides legal aid services to women, especially those affected 
by domestic violence. Through its Defense Services Department, 
LAOA is conducting a comprehensive survey of all juveniles 
detained in the Kabul area detention centers, and provides legal 
services to those who are inappropriately detained.  The 
Education and Training Department of LAOA conducts professional 
development workshops, training, and mentorship programs for 
recent graduates of the Faculties of Law and of Shari'a at Kabul 
University, and the Ministry of Women's Affairs.  IDLO continues 
to provide LAOA with both financial and technical assistance. 
 
VISION OF IDLO 
¶6.  IDLO General Counsel Thomas McInerney presented "Trends in 
Law and Development," highlighting the Organization's strategic 
 
UN ROME 00000042  002 OF 002 
 
 
plan.  Strategic objectives include: building national 
strategies and frameworks, legal empowerment of vulnerable 
individuals, and building networks to stimulate legal reform. 
The focus of IDLO is on the intersection of the rule of law and 
economic, social, and institutional development, and reflects 
the multi-dimensional aspect of the rule of law in society.  The 
strategic plan of IDLO for establishing the rule of law is a 
"bottom-up" strategy of legal reform, involving multiple levels 
and actors working on defined national priorities.  This 
approach deviates from the "technocratic" approach to the rule 
of law, where reform programs are determined by only a few 
elites.  The strategic plan of IDLO is built around a number of 
key concepts explicitly set out in such documents as the UN 
Convention Against Corruption, the UN Convention on Organized 
Crime, and Secretary General Reports.  First, building the rule 
of law is a long-term process, thus incremental progress over 
generations is the likely route of establishment.  Second, the 
support of national constituencies and political commitment by 
national leaders and other stakeholders is necessary.  Third, 
political commitment and consensus must develop through open, 
inclusive, transparent, and deliberative processes.  The 
consensus for rule of law is based on understanding that the 
rule of law is a good that makes all other social goods (life, 
liberty, and prosperity) possible. 
 
¶7.  The Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness ("Paris 
Declaration") has at its core the notion of national ownership. 
National ownership is critical for IDLO to accelerate progress 
in establishing the rule of law.  The rule of law occurs through 
political will, i.e., societal consensus, thus IDLO embraces the 
Paris Declaration framework as an effective approach to 
development.  Therefore, IDLO plans to shift the focus of its 
efforts away from discrete projects and towards enabling 
achievement of national strategies.  IDLO plans to work 
collaboratively with leading multilateral players in the rule of 
law field to devise approaches to assist in its shift towards 
national strategies.  IDLO also will develop techniques for 
monitoring and evaluation of national strategies in the justice 
sector to determine effectiveness. 
 
¶8.  One of the biggest challenges to rule of law implementation 
is the financial crisis, which has undermined financing for 
development.  IDLO aims to seize the economic crisis as an 
opportunity for reform, and plans to put in place measures to 
help mitigate economic hardship on the poor and vulnerable. 
IDLO hopes to help developing countries experiencing fiscal 
shock expand their tax base to ensure public finances are solid. 
 Specifically, IDLO will seek regulatory reform of legal systems 
to improve the investment climate and will respond to the push 
for transparency contained in the London G-20 communique.  IDLO 
will also seek other regulatory reforms, e.g., corporate 
governance and banking needs must be aligned with country 
capacities.  IDLO will help countries align regulation with 
international standards in ways that make sense for their 
particular systems.  IDLO will also explore the development of 
communities of practice to create space for policy negotiation. 
 
NEW IDLO DIRECTOR-GENERAL 
¶9.  IDLO is currently finalizing procedures for the selection of 
the new Director-General to replace Loris.  A working group 
meeting on the subject was held June 9, with another scheduled 
for June 25.  There are 24 applicants for the position, four of 
which are Amcits.  Three nations have put forth "official" 
candidates: Mr. Thomas F. McInerney by the United States; Mr. 
Manuel Leal-Angarita by Colombia; and Mr. Antonio Badini, Mr. 
Claudio Lenoci, and Mrs. Ersiliagrazia Spatafora by Italy.  To 
comply with the guidelines, Italy will reduce its number of 
official candidates to one, thus leaving only three official 
candidates.  The selection procedure will consist of the Board 
of Advisors compiling a "short list" of candidates by way of an 
advisory opinion.  The Assembly of States will then decide which 
candidates to interview at the working group meeting of June 25, 
with the maximum number set at eight. 
BRUDVIGLA