AIIB Legal Conference Report

On October 17 and 18, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (aiib) held its inaugural Legal Conference. The 2017 Legal Conference was convened as part of aiib’s inaugural Legal Week (October 16–21), organized under the initiative of aiib’s Office of General Counsel. The Legal Week was organized around four events: (i) the Legal Conference; (ii) the inaugural aiib Law Lecture; (iii) a meeting of Chief Legal Officers of Asia-based international financial institutions (ifis); and (iv) a series of internal trainings for aiib staff. The Legal Conference brought together nearly 100 eminent legal practitioners and academics. Four panel discussions were held on the following topics: (i) the governance role of multilateral shareholders; (ii) institutional design and effective governance; (iii) external dimensions and a governance mandate; and (iv) governance and the rule of administrative law. Following the panel discussions, the Legal Conference convened a plenary session on good governance and modern ifis, and the President of aiib, Jin Liqun, delivered closing remarks. At the close of the Legal Conference, Miguel de Serpa Soares, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and United Nations Legal Counsel, delivered the inaugural aiib Law Lecture, entitled “The Necessity of Cooperation between International Organizations.” The Legal Week continued with a meeting of Chief Legal Officers of Asia-based ifis, chaired by aiib’s General Counsel, Gerard Sanders, with opening remarks from President Jin and participation of legal chiefs of the Asian Development Bank, the Credit Guarantee & Investment Facility, the eco Trade and Development Bank, the Eurasian Development Bank, the Green Climate Fund and the International Investment Bank. The Legal Week closed with a series of internal trainings for aiib staff on a variety of legal topics pertinent to aiib’s operations. This report is intended to provide a summary of the discussions held as part of the Legal Conference.