From 20 to 22 May 2025, the Legal Counsel of the United Nations, Ms. Elinor Hammarskjöld chaired the annual meetings of the informal network of the Legal Advisers of the specialized agencies and the related and other organizations of the United Nations System, and the informal network of the Legal Advisers of the United Nations Offices, Funds and Programmes.  The meetings were held at United Nations Headquarters in New York this year. For the first time in the history of these meetings, some sessions were open to virtual participation by Legal Advisers who could not travel.Â
The purpose of the network meetings is to provide a forum for discussion of legal issues of common interest and concern to the Legal Advisers of the participating entities, to improve coordination and communication among the Legal Advisers and to promote system-wide legal coherence.  The meetings also provide the Legal Counsel with an important opportunity to brief the members of the networks on current legal issues facing the Organization.Â