IDLO is an intergovernmental organization that is governed by the Assembly of Parties, which convenes in Rome at least once a year.  A Standing Committee of the assembly meets with the IDLO Secretariat every two months, and an Audit and Finance Committee ensures detailed oversight of finances on a permanent basis.  The role of the assembly is to determine the organization's policies and oversee the work of the Director General.  Its duties include the adoption of the budget, action plan and by-laws for the governance of the organization and the appointment of the Director General and members of the Board of Advisers.  In March 2008, the Kingdom of The Netherlands became the President of the Assembly of Parties, with Burkina Faso elected as one of two vice-presidents.  The other vice-presidency is held by Italy as the host country of IDLO.

The parties to IDLO’s establishment agreement are: 

These countries and international organizations are in the process of becoming parties: 

Afghanistan Central African Republic Georgia

Kazakhstan Madagascar Mauritania

Mozambique Republic of Congo Turkey

 
Becoming a Member of IDLO

IDLO is working to expand its membership base. The advantages of IDLO membership include:

• Opportunity to promote improvements in law and development in pursuit of economic and social development goals
• Access to a multilateral institution capable of contributing to international and national development goals
• Contribute to the development of global public goods, such as knowledge concerning law in the development context.
• For donors, IDLO provides a focused multilateral alternative to bilateral assistance programs
• For developing countries and countries in economic transition, IDLO provides a forum for discussion of national rule of law programs and advocacy for their support
• As an intergovernmental agency, IDLO has access to decision makers in government and can work with a range of partners and intergovernmental agencies to enable change
• IDLO maintains a network of alumni, developed over 25 years of capacity building work, which provides a ready network of partners which the member states can influence
• Member states can influence the course of IDLO’s thought leadership in rule of law matters and thus gain another vehicle for the promotion of the rule of law and best practices

IDLO’s Board of Advisers

The Board of Advisers includes ten members elected by the assembly for a four-year term.  One half of the members are renewed every two years.  All board members are selected on the basis of their expertise in the fields of development or law or their experience in the management of international organizations.  They serve in their personal capacities and not as representatives of their governments or organizations.

The Board of Advisers elected in 2008 is:

• H.E. Hussein Hassouna, Ambassador of the League of Arab States in the USA
• Prof. Gianfranco Lizza, University La Sapienza of Rome, Italy
• Prof. Heinrich Neisser, University of Innsbruck, Austria
• Prof. Jean Michel Otto, University of Leiden, The Netherlands
• Dr. Roy L. Prosterman, Rural Development Institute and University of Washington, USA
• Atty. Pascal Roux, Cabinet Watson, Farley & Williams law firm, France (Vice Chairman of the Board)
• Atty. Alfredo F. Tadiar, Alternative Dispute Resolution of the Philippines Judicial Academy of the Supreme Court, Philippines (Chairman of the Board)
• Ms Thèrèse Traore - Sanou, Supreme Court Administrative Section, Burkina Faso
• Dr. Maria Yordanaova, Center for the Study of Democracy, Bulgaria
• Atty. Yuejiao Zhang, World Trade Organization Appellate Body.

Governance Documents

IDLO Assembly of Parties - Final Summary of Proceedings (November 25, 2009) 

Pocès Verbal final de l'Assemblèe des Parties de l'OIDD (25 Novembre 2009)