UNIDROIT (the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law) announced plans to establish its first Asia-Pacific liaison office in Hong Kong during its 85th General Assembly on 11 December.
Expected to open in the second half of 2026 as part of the institute’s centenary celebrations, the new office will be UNIDROIT’s first branch outside its headquarters in Italy.
According to a UNIDROIT statement, the liaison office will be “strategically located in Hong Kong”, described as “a renowned international legal, trade and financial hub, and the host of many international and regional organisations”.
UNIDROIT expects the new office to “significantly benefit from closer co-operation with other important partner organisations, and help build a robust stakeholder network in support of UNIDROIT’s work”.
The Ministry of Commerce said that the decision “will help Hong Kong develop into an international centre for legal and dispute resolution services, expand UNIDROIT’s influence in the Asia-Pacific region, and promote the rule of law in the international commercial sphere”.
Founded in 1926, UNIDROIT was initially part of the League of Nations, the predecessor of the United Nations. After the dissolution of the League, it was re-established in 1940 under its current statute. The organisation now has 65 member states, with China officially joining in 1986.
UNIDROIT is dedicated to modernising, harmonising and co-ordinating private law —primarily commercial law — among nations. To this end, it formulates legal instruments such as conventions and principles, exerting significant influence worldwide.
