The month of March in 2022 marked a quiet occasion in the Treaty Section of the Office of Legal Affairs: completion through virtual means of the review of hundreds of treaties and treaty actions, submitted for registration under Article 102 of the Charter of the United Nations, that had accumulated in recent years. With the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic serving as a catalyst for change, the Treaty Section has enhanced the role of technology and adapted its working methods to a fully digital environment, in order to better support Member States in implementing their obligation under Article 102 of the Charter.
More than 2,000 treaties and treaty actions are submitted each year to the Treaty Section. The Registration Unit reviews each of these submissions to determine whether they meet the legal and procedural requirements for registration under Article 102 of the Charter. The use of electronic submissions, coupled with the ease of digital communication, has enabled the Registration Unit to not only expedite the registration process but also maintain consistent contact with Member States, providing advice on treaty law and practice.
Registered treaties are published in the United Nations Treaty Series and accessible online at the United Nations Treaty Collection website.
