Remarks by Jay Pozenel

Extract

The UN Office of Legal Affairs provides central legal support and assistance to UN offices and entities implementing the fundamental UN mandate established by the UN Charter, namely, to support the maintenance of international peace and security; to promote economic and social advancement for all people; and to affirm faith in fundamental human rights and promote the wider acceptance of international law. The General Legal Division is one of six divisions of the UN Office of Legal Affairs, and one of two of the Office's divisions that provide transactional legal services and support to the United Nations, its Funds and Programmes, such as the UN Development Programme, the United Nations Children's Fund, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, the UN Population Fund, and others, the UN's peacekeeping missions, and the UN's regional and country offices throughout the world. Specifically, the Office oversees global crises and at times relevant legal aid. It deals with the internal legal framework of the UN and facilitates its legal interactions with suppliers, donors, implementing partners, and the public at large. In the General Legal Division, we have some thirty lawyers and ten support staff in the Division dealing with a variety of the day to day legal issues faced by the Organization.