AIA's previous conferences

"Arbitration and Mediation in the ACP-EU Relations"
21 May 2008, Brussels

The Association for International Arbitration (AIA) organised this conference to promote and create awareness of the Arbitration and Mediation in the ACP (African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of countries) – EU Relations. Our goal was to promote arbitration and mediation as an alternative dispute resolution mechanism, ultimately in benefit of business development and creation of tighter bounds between the ACP states and the EU states.
The 1 day conference took place in the city of Brussels at the secretariat of the ACP, from 9:30h - 18:30h, coffee breaks, lunch as well as a cocktail after the conference were part of the event.

The Book resulting from the Conference can be ordered here.

The Conclusions of the Conference are downloadable here.

The Conference Program is downloadable here.

Conference Moderator

Chitra Radhakishun. Manager UNCTAD Project on Dispute Settlement in International Trade, Investment and Intellectual Property

Speakers/Subject:

Dr. Gaston Kenfack Douqjni, President of APAA (Africa).
Subject speech: “The current state of ACP-EU arbitration in the OHADA space”.
Mr. Colin Brown. EU Directorate General for Trade - Aspects of Trade Policy.
Subject speech: The relationship between the Cotonou and EPA dispute settlement mechanism and WTO obligations (article 21) and procedures (EPAs are expected to be WTO compatible and WTO jurisprudence on trade dispute settlement could be a guiding factor) and the legal and technical capacity constraints and needs of ACP states and regions.
Mr. Charles Claypoole ( Eversheds Paris)
Subject speech: "The context of the dispute settlement provisions contained in the EU- ACP Agreements: other legal remedies available under international law for the protection of foreign nationals and their investments." Aim is to focus on the remedies available for the protection of foreign nationals and their investments that can be invoked by foreign investors (notably before ICSID arbitral tribunals) and by States (before the ICJ).
Paul-Jean Le Cannu Legal Counsel - Conseiller juridique Permanent Court of Arbitration - Cour permanente d'arbitrage.
Subject speech: the Cotonou Agreement dispute settlement mechanism which contains references to the PCA.
Mr. Justice Duke E. Pollard, Judge of the Caribbean Court of Justice:
Subject Speech: Various innovative features of the CCJ and the disputes settlement procedures for the regional economic integration.
Dr. Awuku, ACP- Legal Counsel.
Subject Speech: ACP States Under Special and Differential Treatment of the WTO Dispute Settlement Mechanism
Mr. Aloysius Gng. PhD Candidate, CEPMLP, University of Dundee. BSc, LLM, Dip LP, Dip CIArb, MCIArb, Solicitor (England & Wales)
Subject Speech: Mineral (soft) Law in the field of ACP-EU Arbitration.
Mr. Srilal Perera. Chief Counsel, Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency a member of the World Bank Group.
Subject Speech: Arbitration under the Convention Establishing the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) and its Mediation Services
Ms. Mahnaz Malik. Associate IISD and Principal, MMI LAW International.
Subject Speech: The innovations introduced by the CCIA with respect to investor protection in IIAs, including the investor-state arbitration process.