Interpretation of the Agreement of 25 March 1951 between the WHO and Egypt

OVERVIEW OF THE CASE

Having considered a possible transfer from Alexandria of the World Health Organization’s Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean Region, the World Health Assembly in May 1980 submitted a request to the Court for an advisory opinion on the following questions :

“1. Are the negotiation and notice provisions of Section 37 of the Agreement of 25 March 1951 between the World Health Organization and Egypt applicable in the event that either party to the Agreement wishes to have the Regional Office transferred from the territory of Egypt ?

2. If so, what would be the legal responsibilities of both the World Health Organization and Egypt, with regard to the Regional Office in Alexandria, during the two-year period between notice and termination of the Agreement ?”

The Court expressed the opinion that, in the event of a transfer of the seat of the Regional Office to another country, the WHO and Egypt were under mutual obligation to consult together in good faith as to the conditions and modalities of the transfer, and to negotiate the various arrangements needed to effect the transfer with a minimum of prejudice to the work of the Organization and to the interests of Egypt. The party wishing to effect the transfer had a duty, despite the specific period of notice indicated in the 1951 Agreement, to give a reasonable period of notice to the other party, and during this period the legal responsibilities of the WHO and of Egypt would be to fulfil in good faith their mutual obligations as set out above.


This overview is provided for information only and in no way involves the responsibility of the Court.

Request for Advisory Opinion

28 May 1980
Request for Advisory Opinion (including the dossier of documents transmitted to the Court pursuant to article 65, paragraph 2 of the Statute)
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Written proceedings

15 July 1980
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Oral proceedings

Verbatim record 1980 (bilingual version)
Oral Statements (including Annexes) - Minutes of the Public Sittings held at the Peace Palace, The Hague, on 21, 22 and 23 October, and on 20 December 1980, The President, Sir Humphrey Waldock, presiding
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Other documents


Orders

Fixing of time-limits: Written Statements
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Advisory opinions


Summaries of Judgments and Orders

Summary of the Advisory Opinion of 20 December 1980
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Press releases

10 June 1980
The World Health Organization requests an advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice
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16 October 1980
Interpretation of the Agreement of 25 March 1951 between the WHO and Egypt - Hearing to open at 10 a.m. on Tuesday 21 October 1980
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24 October 1980
Interpretation of the Agreement of 25 March 1951 between the WHO and Egypt - Closure of oral proceedings
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16 December 1980
Interpretation of the Agreement of 25 March 1951 between the WHO and Egypt - Advisory opinion to be delivered on Saturday 20 December
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20 December 1980
Interpretation of the Agreement of 25 March 1951 between the WHO and Egypt - Advisory opinion
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Correspondence

21 May 1980
Correspondence
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