Making Public the Convention On the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations, February 13, 1946

MALACAÑANG
RESIDENCE OF THE PRESIDENT
OF THE PHILIPPINES
Manila

Proclamation No. 180

MAKING PUBLIC THE CONVENTION ON THE PRIVILEGES AND IMMUNITIES OF THE UNITED NATIONS, FEBRUARY 13, 1946

WHEREAS, a Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations was adopted on February 13, 1946, by the General Assembly of the United Nations;

WHEREAS, on December 11, 1946, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted another resolution inviting the Members of the United Nations to accede to the aforesaid Convention at as early a date as possible;

WHEREAS, the said Convention fully implements Articles 104 and 105 of the Charter of the United Nations of which the Republic of the Philippines is a signatory, by providing that the Organization shall enjoy in the territory of each of its Members such legal capacities, privileges, and immunities of its purposes, and that representatives of the Members of the United Nations and officials of the Organization shall similarly enjoy such privileges and immunities as are necessary for the independent exercise of their functions in connection with the...

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Summary of the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations

The Convention aims to provide legal capacities, privileges, and immunities to the United Nations and its representatives to enable them to exercise their functions independently. The key provisions are:

- The United Nations shall possess juridical personality and enjoy legal capacities necessary for the exercise of its functions and the fulfillment of its purposes. (Article I, Section 1)
- The United Nations shall enjoy immunity from every form of legal process, except in cases where it has expressly waived its immunity. (Article II, Section 2)
- The premises of the United Nations shall be inviolable, and its property and assets shall be immune from search, requisition, confiscation, expropriation, and any other form of interference. (Article II, Section 3)
- The United Nations shall be exempt from all direct taxes and customs duties. (Article II, Section 7)
- Representatives of Members to the principal and subsidiary organs of the United Nations and officials of the Organization shall enjoy privileges and immunities necessary for the independent exercise of their functions. (Article IV, Section 11)
- The Secretary-General and all Assistant Secretaries-General shall be accorded the privileges and immunities, exemptions, and facilities accorded to diplomatic envoys. (Article V, Section 19)
- Experts performing missions for the United Nations shall be accorded such privileges and immunities as are necessary for the independent exercise of their functions. (Article VI, Section 22)