The Cairo Regional Centre for International Commercial Arbitration (CRCICA) Welcomed Professor Georges Affaki for a Lecture
Cairo – 4 February 2025
In a distinguished intellectual evening, the Cairo Regional Centre for International Commercial Arbitration (CRCICA) organized an insightful seminar delivered by Justice Professor Georges Affaki, a prominent international arbitrator, judge at the Qatar International Court, lawyer admitted to the French courts, and lecturer at the University of Paris. With decades of extensive experience in law and arbitration, Dr. Affaki has become one of the most influential figures in the field. He is also a member of various international legal bodies and has served as a consultant to numerous governments and institutions on arbitration and dispute resolution matters. In addition to his practical experience, he has made significant academic and research contributions that have shaped modern arbitration principles at the international level.
The lecture, titled “The Arbitrator between the Duty of Impartiality and the Duty of Disclosure: Reflections on the Legitimacy of the Standard and the Risk of Extremism in Its Application,” provided an in-depth exploration of a timely and thought-provoking topic.
Moderated by Dr. Ismail Selim, Director of CRCICA, Professor Affaki drew on his extensive experience in international arbitration and judicial practice to shed light on the delicate balance between the duties of impartiality and independence—cornerstones of an arbitrator’s role—and the critical duty of disclosure. Through a critical review of recent court decisions that sparked intense debate and challenged legal certainty, he demonstrated how these developments continue to influence the arbitral process.
Professor Affaki also offered a comprehensive analysis of the trend toward a stricter interpretation of the disclosure duty, highlighting the challenges posed by divergent judicial approaches in the absence of a unified international standard. He evaluated the far-reaching implications of these developments on arbitration awards, as well as on the liability of arbitrators and arbitral institutions—a nuanced perspective that proved both timely and impactful for arbitration practitioners, academics, and policymakers.
The lecture was widely praised for its insightful analysis and significant contribution to the ongoing discourse in international arbitration.
