The Association for the Promotion of Arbitration in Africa (APAA), in partnership with the Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa (OHBLA/ OHADA), the Permanent Court of Arbitration of The Hague (CPA / PCA) and the Cairo Regional Center of International Commercial Arbitration (CRCICA), with the backing of the French Cooperation and the French Notary, is organizing an International Colloquium on:
« PCA ARBITRATION, CRCICA ARBITRATION, OHADA ARBITRATION AND MEDIATION »
A- BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE OF THE COLLOQUIUM
Established by the Convention for the Pacific Settlement of International Disputes, done at The Hague in 1899 during the first Hague Peace Conference, the Permanent Court of Arbitration, hereafter PCA, is the first universal mechanism of settlement of disputes between States. The signatory powers of the Convention for the Pacific Settlement of International Disputes have created the PCA in order to facilitate the direct access to arbitration for international disputes, which have failed to be settled through diplomatic channel.
Originally developed for settlement of disputes between States, the PCA then turned to be a modern and widened arbitration institution, it provides arbitration, mediation/ conciliation services and its premises at the disposal of the arbitral tribunals established in compliance with the Rules of some international arbitration bodies or the ad hoc Rules.
The PCA is composed of 121 contracting parties, including 23 african States, 7 of which are in the OHADA space. It administers proceedings involving African States, has opened an office in Mauritius since 2010 and signed cooperation agreement with a number of african organizations, including the Association for the Promotion of Arbitration in Africa. There is no doubt that the PCA maintains close relations with Africa.
For its part, the Cairo Regional Center for International Commercial Arbitration (CRCICA) was established in 1979 under the auspices of the Legal and Advisory Organization for African and Asian Countries (AALCO), which includes many African countries.
The colloquium organized by the APAA, in partnership with OHADA, the Permanent Court of Arbitration of The Hague (PCA) and the Cairo Regional Center for International Commercial Arbitration (CRCICA), with the assistance of the French Cooperation and the French Notary, therefore finds its justification, in this case at the time, on the one hand, where are undertaken before the Commission of the United Nations for the International Commercial Law (UNCITRAL), works relating to the reform of the system of Settlement of the Investor-States Disputes and, on the other hand, some African States, including those parties to OHADA, have amended their arbitration law and adopted a text on mediation.
B- SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES OF THE COLLOQUIUM
Beyond demonstrating the presence of OHADA Africa in the CPA arbitration and also promoting the CRCICA arbitration in the OHADA space, this conference aims to:
- to present the new legal framework of arbitration and mediation in OHADA space ;
- to demonstrate that this renewed framework of arbitration in OHADA space can make it possible to easily implement the PCA arbitration and CRCICA arbitration in OHADA space ;
- to present the new legal framework of mediation in OHADA space.
C-TARGET AUDIENCE
This Colloquium addresses in particular to:
- officers in charge of litigation involving african States and other legal entities of public law dealing or likely to deal with an international dispute ;
- magistrates, lawyers or barristers and court officers ;
- economic operators ;
- in-house counsels ;
- researchers as well as students in the field of international dispute.
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D-ORGANISATION OF THE COLLOQUIUM
The Colloquium is organized in partnership with OHADA, the Permanent Court of Arbitration of The Hague (CPA / PCA) and the Cairo Regional Center of International Commercial Arbitration (CRCICA). It will therefore benefit from the presence of representatives of these institutions, including the Permanent Secretary of OHADA, the Secretary-General of the PCA and the Director of CRCICA. It will also include the participation of representatives of renowned arbitration institutions on the continent as well as outside.
It will be moderated by some of the best international arbitration and mediation experts, recognized for their experience in international arbitrations and mediation procedures involving States, State-controlled entities, international organizations and private parties.
E-PLACE, DATE AND LANGUAGES OF THE COLLOQUIUM
The Colloquium will take place at Djeuga Palace Hotel of Yaounde, on May 23-24, 2018.
The colloquium languages are French and English with simultaneous translations.
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