Implementing international law: capacity-building, coordination and control

The implementation of international law requires State capacity, including knowledge of treaties and institutions by domestic officials. The training of State officials is often delivered by an international organisation, agency or secretariat as part of the capacity-building programmes required by the treaty that each administers. Yet, of the increasingly urgent calls for international cooperation to address climate change, biodiversity crises, public health threats and plastic pollution, among other issues, not one can be addressed by a single treaty or international organisation. The practical, operational and theoretical challenges of coordination deserve more attention by international lawyers. This is especially important given the development of pandemic-era remote learning technologies and the proliferation of e-learning opportunities. Disparities in resources, and the categorisation of developing and developed countries, further complicates the production and dissemination of knowledge. This article focuses on capacity-building, technical assistance and training, and includes the author’s experience with collaborative training initiatives in ocean governance, to which United Nations agencies, the World Bank and academic partners contribute. The article describes the high stakes of integrative initiatives, the outreach by international organisations and the interaction between regimes. It seeks to account for collaborative capacity-building activities and the adaptive role of participants within the system of international law.