Even as international organizations are increasingly recognized as relevant actors in global governance, much of their internal dynamics and decision-making processes remain hidden. This webinar focuses on the role of the secretariats, who carry out the daily activities of international organizations but are also holders of technical expertise that can shape discussions and influence the agenda of the organization and even Member States. The panelists will discuss how secretariats can impact the work of international organizations and affect the development of international rules, combining reflections from academia with perspectives from the practice of international organizations.
 
Panelists:

Catherine Brölmann is Associate Professor of law at the University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Center for International Law, and a Visiting Professor at Lyon III University. She is i.a. vice-chair of the Advisory Committee for public international law to the Netherlands government, and co-editor-in-chief of the OUP series Oxford International Organizations (OXIO).
 
Donata Rugarabamu is Legal Counsel of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). She has served in a number of intergovernmental organizations, including the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, the United Nations Environment Programme, the United Nations Compensation Commission and the Commonwealth Secretariat. She has a MA in Law from the University of Cambridge and a LLM in Public International Law from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and is a Member of the Bar of England and Wales.