Lawyer Xinghao Qi from Beijing Zhongyin (Luzhou) Law Firm in China, designated as the observer representative by the Cairo Regional Centre for International Commercial Arbitration (CRCICA), attended the 67th session of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Working Group V (Insolvency Law) held in Vienna from December 8 to 10, 2025.
The meeting focused on deliberating the Draft Model Law on Applicable Law in Insolvency Proceedings. The formulation of this Model Law is a key step for UNCITRAL in perfecting its international insolvency law framework, providing important guidance for global cross-border insolvency practice. The discussions particularly focused on the coordination of applicable laws at the intersection of insolvency and arbitration proceedings, which is precisely the focal area that CRCICA, as a leading international arbitration institution, continues to pay attention to.
As an invited international non-governmental organization observer, CRCICA actively participated in discussions on relevant topics through its representative. During the meeting, the parties exchanged views on various proposals under Article 9 of the Draft Model Law (Special Rules for Foreign Litigation and Arbitration), discussing key issues such as the impact of the commencement of insolvency proceedings on pending arbitration, the role of the lex loci arbitri, and the participation rights of insolvency representatives in arbitration. Ensuring a balance between the collective nature of insolvency proceedings and the contractual autonomy of arbitration proceedings is central to building an efficient and predictable cross-border dispute resolution mechanism.
CRCICA’s participation in this legislative discussion highlights the Centre’s commitment to promoting the coordinated development of arbitration and adjacent legal fields (such as insolvency law) at the international level. By contributing practical experience and perspectives from Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, CRCICA is dedicated to ensuring that the upcoming international rules fully consider the characteristics of different legal jurisdictions and regions, enhancing their applicability and effectiveness worldwide.
In the future, CRCICA will continue to closely monitor the progress of this UNCITRAL project. Through organizing seminars, publishing commentaries, and other means, it will promote dialogue and cooperation between the international arbitration community and insolvency practitioners on related issues, providing parties with a clearer and more stable legal environment for cross-border dispute resolution.
