Justice Minister Rauff Hakeem in New Delhi

At the invitation of Prof Rahmat Mohamad, the Secretary General of Asian African Legal Consultative Organization (AALCO), headquartered in New Delhi, Sri Lankan Minister of Justice and SLMC Leader Rauff Hakeem was in India from January 23 to 27, 2012 in his capacity as the current President of AALCO.

During his visit to India, he met his Indian counterpart, Salman Khurshid, the Law Minister as well as the Attorney General of India Goolam Vahanvati. Issues of mutual interest and measures for greater cooperation between the legal entities of India and Sri Lanka were discussed at these meetings.

Minister Hakeem met the Secretary General and other officials of AALCO on January 24, where a range of legal and other issues of common interest for Asian and African nations, were discussed. High Commissioner for Sri Lanka in India, Prasad Kariyawasam accompanied the minister at these meetings.

Addressing the New Delhi based Liaison Officers of AALCO, he thanked AALCO for the opportunity provided to Sri Lanka to host the milestone 50th Annual Session of the Organization in Colombo in June 2011. Sri Lanka, is among one of the seven founding members of AALCO and has the unique honour of chairing the newly constituted Eminent Persons Group of AALCO.

Describing AALCO's contribution in the international legal arena as groundbreaking, Minister Hakeem referred to the law of the sea, concept of archipelagic States, Bangkok principles on treatment of Stateless persons and refugees, law related to trafficking of women and children, as areas in which AALCO's contribution had been substantial.

He flagged some of the present challenges such as climate change, WTO related issues, Intellectual Property Rights, international terrorism, piracy and cyber crime, where further deliberations are needed.

Minister Hakeem addressed a well attended gathering of New Delhi based diplomats, academics and scholars at a seminar organized by the Indian Council of World Affairs, a pioneer Indian Think Tank, on the topic 'Right to Protect: Asian and African Perspectives' at the prestigious Sapru House in New Delhi on January 24, 2012.