Spanish-Australian international law practitioner, Manuel Calzada practiced corporate and natural resources law in Australia earning a reputation as a mining royalties specialist. He joined the United Nations in 2000, and remained as Senior Legal Counsel with international organizations until 2021 when he returned to solo private practice.

His initial UN assignment was with UNMIK, the UN Executive Authority Mission in Kosovo where he worked in the Office of Legal Affairs of the UN Special Representative Office of Legal Affairs, and with the European Union Economic Development Pillar in charge of Kosovo’s economic reconstruction, the legal administration of Publicly Owned Enterprises in Telecoms, Aviation, Energy, and Municipal service enterprises.

He established ABU-IDI and ABU-agribusiness, two EU-funded economic development banking entities for the agricultural and industrial sectors.

He completed Missions for the EU in the Middle East, and has been Head of Legal Affairs for UNMIL, the UN DPKO Mission in Liberia, UNAMA the UN Political Assistance Mission in Afghanistan, UNAMID, the United Nations & African Union Mission in Darfur, Sudan and most recently with UNSOS and UNSOM, the United Nations Missions in Somalia.

He is currently practicing internationally from Dubai, Madrid, and New York

Background

• Team Member in a number of incorporations and ASX Listings, including Gembank, Cobra, GinGin Virgen Olive Plantation, WA Gem Resources

• Founding Managing Editor of the Asia Pacific Journal on Human Rights and the Law; Editor eLaw Electronic Journal of Law

• ​Establishment of Official Gazette of the UN Interim Administration

• Establishment and legal management of ABU Development Bank for the European Agency for Reconstruction

• Drafted Legislative Framework for Kosovo on Civil Aviation, Value Added Tax, Natural Resources Development, and Privatization of Socially Owned Enterprises

• Legal Audit for the EU Commission of the Palestinian Banking Corporation

• Legal Management of Kosovo Trust Agency Portfolio of Publicly Owned Enterprises in Power Generation, Airport Operations, Telecoms and Municipal Services companies

• Negotiated Regional Free Trade Treaties on behalf of Kosovo on Transport, Energy Distribution and Telecoms

• Designed and assisted Serbian Government to secure key International Court of Justice initiative through the United Nations General Assembly

• Established legal framework for financial support for peace negotiations with Non-State actors in Afghanistan

• Redesigned Rules of Engagement Protocols to significantly reduce access denials and combat casualties of Un Peacekeeping troops

• Established legal framework for State Liaison Functions for the UN Mission in Darfur transition programmes

• Senior Expert Adviser to the World Bank Accountability Mechanism Secretariat (2022-2025)

• Expert Legal Adviser Ignis Energía Green Hydrogen Project in Western Australia (2022-2026)

Highlights

"The dooms of King Alfred"

Written by Manuel Calzada

Murdoch University Electronic Journal of Law

Volume 5, Number 4 (Dec 1998)

Online

Publications

"Review of Australian Corporations Legislation 1999" (Butterworths)

Written by Manuel Calzada

Murdoch University Electronic Journal of Law

Volume 6, Number 2 (Jun 1999)

"State Government Mining Royalties: Requited Taxes or Duties of Excise?"

Written by Manuel Calzada

Murdoch University Electronic Journal of Law

Volume 7, Number 3 (Sep 2000)

"Conflict resolution through cultural rights and cultural wrongs: the Kosovo example"

Written by María del Mar Bermúdez, Manuel Calzada and Lydia Vicente Márquez

Cambridge University Press

Chapter 11 in "The Local Relevance of Human Rights"

"Asia-Pacific Journal on Human Rights and the Law"

Founding Managing Editor

Brill | Nijhoff