The editors are pleased to publish this 17th volume of the New Zealand Yearbook of International Law covering the year 2019.
The first four articles are the result of a symposium that took place at the University of Canterbury in Spring 2019 on ‘Regional Approaches to Anti-Corruption in the South Pacific and Europe’. Rösler looks at the connections and reciprocal dependencies between the European Union’s anticorruption policy and the anti-corruption policies of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the Council of Europe, and the United Nations. Continuing with the antipodean perspective, Reindl-Krauskopf introduces us to the anti-corruption instruments developed by the European Union under its various treaty regimes. With a South Pacific perspective, Wisstt gives us an overview over different anti-corruption initiatives in the South Pacific and how well they integrate with global approaches to anti-corruption policy given the specific features of South Pacific societies and their comparably low population. Finally, in this section Harris looks at the forestry laws in Solomon Islands as a case study of difficulties encountered by an anti-corruption framework relating to wood sourcing that is destination-country based.
Shifting to a more general focus, Černič and Bukor look at the potential new United Nations Business and Human Rights Treaty. Spijkers analyses the participatory rights of local actors in the governance of the Silala River in Chile and Bolivia. McGeorge looks at the changing application of the ‘crimes against humanity’ exception in refugee protection, and particularly its application in New Zealand law. Continuing with current issues in international and New Zealand refugee law, Lyons looks at the important issue of climate change in seeking refugee status.
This volume includes a regular update, this year by Angelo, on the activities and developments with respect to the Pacific Island Forum. Yearly, the Yearbook encourages submissions on issues of international law affecting the South Pacific Region.
The Year in Review section focuses inwardly and outwardly on New Zealand and its role in contemporary international law during the 2019 year. It covers international human rights law, indigenous peoples’ rights under international law, international economic law, international environmental law, law of the sea and fisheries, the Antarctic treaty system, international criminal law and international humanitarian law, and international law and security. The commentators provide a brief overview and commentary on New Zealand’s practice and developments with respect to each of these areas of international law
The views of the authors throughout are naturally their own.
The Editors wish to extend their gratitude to the Advisory Board, the academics who continue to provide annual contributions to the Yearbook Year in Review, the authors contributing to this volume, and other academics, practitioners and government officials from New Zealand and globally who continue to support the development of this publication. A particular thank-you goes to members of the Advisory Board and others taking the time to review contributions.
Finally, we would like to thank a number of individuals, without whom the publication of this Volume would not have been feasible. We would particularly like to thank our Editorial Assistant, Charlotte Keir, for her valuable contributions and hard work in producing the Yearbook.
Jan Jakob Bornheim
Editor
Christian Riffel
Associate Editor