Published on 7 September 2018 in Client Alerts

A UN working Group issues draft binding international instrument on Business and Human Rights

In June 2014, the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva adopted a resolution drafted by Ecuador and South Africa to establish an open-ended intergovernmental working group to elaborate an international legally binding instrument on Transnational Corporations and Other Business Enterprises with respect to human rights.  Chaired by Ecuador, the intergovernmental working group (IGWG) has met three times (July 2015, October 2016 and October 2017).   Elements for a draft  legally binding instrument were issued by the Chair in September 2017, and a Zero Draft instrument and optional protocol were presented in July 2018 (a summary of the Zero Draft is available here).  A fourth IGWG session will be held in Geneva in October 2018.

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Canada and South Korea Sign Defence Agreement 

On 25 February 2026, Canada and the Republic of Korea signed a new defence agreement in Ottawa during a Canada–Republic of Korea Foreign and Defence Ministerial Meeting.  The agreement establishes a framework for the exchange and protection of classified military and defence information, following negotiations concluded in October 2025. The agreement forms part of broader

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Volterra Fietta promotes Florentine Vos to Counsel

Top-ranked public international law specialist firm Volterra Fietta is pleased to announce the promotion of Florentine Vos to Counsel, effective as of 1 April 2026. Since joining in 2019, Florentine has worked for the firm’s clients across the full range of public international law, including land and maritime boundary disputes, climate change, international organisations law,

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The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia approves regulatory frameworks for its Special Economic Zones

The Saudi Council’s ministerial Resolution No. 468, published in the Official Gazette on 16 January 2026, approves the governance regulations for each of the Special Economic Zones (“SEZs”), the King Abdullah Economic City SEZ, Ras Al Khair SEZ, Jazan SEZ and Cloud Computing SEZ, originally launched on 13 April 2023. 

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UN General assembly adopts resolution to improve coordination against Human Trafficking

On 18 December 2025, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution aimed at improving international coordination in efforts to combat trafficking in persons, reaffirming the need for a comprehensive and cooperative global response to one of the most pervasive forms of transnational organised crime.

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