Roberto Ago (26 May 1907 – 24 February 1995) was an Italian jurist. He served as a judge on the

International Court of Justice The International Court of Justice (ICJ; french: Cour internationale de justice, links=no; ), sometimes known as the World Court, is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN). It settles disputes between states in accordanc ...

from 1979 until 1995. Ago served as Professor of International Law at the Universities of Catania (1934–1935),

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(1935–1938), and finally

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(1956–1982). He specialized in both private and public international law. He gave his first

Hague Academy of International Law The Hague Academy of International Law (french: Académie de droit international de La Haye) is a center for high-level education in both public and private international law housed in the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands. Courses are taugh ...

lecture in 1936 at the age of twenty-eight, on general conflict of laws rules. He also gave lectures at the Hague Academy of International Law in 1939, 1956, 1971, and 1983, on topics ranging from international torts to the Grotian conception of

international law International law (also known as public international law and the law of nations) is the set of rules, norms, and standards generally recognized as binding between states. It establishes normative guidelines and a common conceptual framework for ...

. He also served as Chairman of the Hague Academy Curatorium for the last 20 years of his life. In 1970 Ago was awarded honorary membership in the

American Society of International Law The American Society of International Law (ASIL), founded in 1906, was chartered by the United States Congress in 1950 to foster the study of international law, and to promote the establishment and maintenance of international relations on the ba ...

. He served as a delegate to international conferences on the law of the sea and on diplomatic relations. In addition, Ago presided over the Vienna Conference on the Law of Treaties from 1968 to 1969. He also acted as counsel for several governments appearing before the

. He was a member of the

International Law Commission The International Law Commission (ILC) is a body of experts responsible for helping develop and codify international law. It is composed of 34 individuals recognized for their expertise and qualifications in international law, who are elected by t ...

from 1956 to 1979 and served as its chairman from 1964 to 1965. Former ICJ judge Stephen M. Schwebel said that Ago, through his work with the International Law Commission, had an "extended and preeminent" role in the codification work of the International Law Commission. He also worked closely with the

International Labour Organization The International Labour Organization (ILO) is a United Nations agency whose mandate is to advance social and economic justice by setting international labour standards. Founded in October 1919 under the League of Nations, it is the first and o ...

, twice presiding over the ILO Governing Body. For the last thirty-five years of his life, Ago chaired the ILO Committee on Freedom of Association. Ago was also an active member of the Institut du Droit International from 1932 until his death, serving as its president from 1992 to 1993. Roberto Ago died on 24 February 1995 in

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. Sir Robert Jennings, wrote that Ago "is an international lawyer who has excelled in all the several different aspects of that calling: as scholar and writer; as teacher; as consultant to governments and international organizations; as fashioner of law through the International Law Commission; as advocate; and as judge." His term of office at the International Court of Justice was due to expire in February 1997.

Partial List of Works

*Eight reports to the United Nations Law Commission on the "Internationally Wrongful Act of the State, Source of International Responsibility" (1969–1979) *Positivism (International Law), 7 Encyclopedia of Public International Law 385 (Rudolf Bernhardt ed., 1984) *La Codification du Droit International et les Problèmes de sa Réalisation, Recueil d'Études de Droit International en Hommage à Paul Guggenheim 93 (1968) *Pluralism and the Origins of the International Community, 3 Ital. Y.B. Int'l L. 3 (1977) *The First International Communities in the Mediterranean World, 53 Brit. Y.B. Int'l L. 2113 (1982) *Lezioni di diritto internazionale privato: parte generale (Milano: A. Giuffrè, 1955)

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ago, Roberto 1907 births 1995 deaths Italian jurists The Hague Academy of International Law people International Court of Justice judges Members of the Institut de Droit International Members of the Royal Academy of Belgium Italian judges of United Nations courts and tribunals

Partial List of Works

See also

Notes