| Dear Users of the CRCICA,
Dear Members of the Arbitration Community,
As I write these words, I do so with a heart filled with gratitude, pride, and deep confidence in the future of the Cairo Regional Centre for International Commercial Arbitration (CRCICA).
As of today, 31 December 2025, I formally conclude my term as Director of CRCICA. It has been a profound honour and privilege to serve this exceptional institution for nine years and to work alongside a community whose commitment, integrity, and professionalism have constituted the true foundation of CRCICA’s success.
I wish, first and foremost, to extend my sincere thanks to every member of the CRCICA family – our dedicated team, members of the Board of Trustees and Advisory Committee, arbitrators, counsel to CRCICA proceedings and all partners – whose unwavering support, trust, and belief in the Centre have enabled CRCICA not merely to grow, but to excel. Every achievement we celebrate today is the result of collective effort, shared values, and an unrelenting pursuit of excellence.
The year 2025 stands as a milestone in the Centre’s history, marked by a record-breaking caseload and significant institutional developments. During the year, a total of 97 new cases were filed – surpassing the previous record of 91 cases set in 2016 – in addition to, for the first time, Emergency Arbitrator proceedings. Of these cases, 29 involved non-Egyptian parties, representing 30% of the total, with parties originating from a wide range of jurisdictions including Austria, Canada, the Cayman Islands, China, Cyprus, France, Germany, India, Italy, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sudan, Tunisia, Turkey, the UAE, and the United States. The cases registered in 2025 reflected an increasingly international profile, involving a substantial number of non-Egyptian parties, with seats of arbitration extending beyond Cairo to include New York and Abu Dhabi, and with applicable laws encompassing not only Egyptian law but also English, Swiss, and Sudanese law. With these new filings, the total number of cases administered by the Centre has reached 1,844, underscoring its sustained growth and the continued confidence of users worldwide. The year also witnessed an important regulatory development with the issuance of the Practice Notes on the 2024 Arbitration Rules on 22 December 2025.
Further, among the many memorable achievements of the year 2025, I am particularly proud that the CRCICA Arbitration Rules have been officially selected as the procedural framework for the 35th Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot, to be held in Vienna in 2028. This selection reflects international recognition of the Rules as embodying global best practices in international arbitration.
I am equally proud that CRCICA has obtained the status of Permanent Arbitral Institution in the Russian Federation, further strengthening its standing and expanding its reach within the Russian legal landscape as a trusted institution for effective, neutral, and high-quality dispute resolution. On the personal level, I am also proud of being granted the Chinese Government Friendship Award, which reflects the trust of Chinese parties in CRCICA’s role in improving cross-border investment climate through its neutral and fair administration of arbitration and ADR.
Beyond numbers and recognitions, CRCICA’s true strength lies in its principles. Throughout my tenure, CRCICA has maintained neutrality, impartiality, and independence. This has been made possible by an able Deputy Director, an exceptional case management team, renowned for its efficiency and professionalism, and by an Advisory Committee composed of distinguished figures whose experience and wisdom are second to none.
As I step aside, I do so with full confidence and optimism. It gives me great pleasure to introduce my successor, Dr. Dalia Hussein, who becomes the first woman to lead CRCICA. Dr. Dalia Hussein, having brilliantly served CRCICA since 2017 as Deputy Director, brings outstanding competence, integrity, and vision, and I am certain that under her leadership, CRCICA will continue to flourish, innovate, and deliver at the highest international standards.
I warmly invite CRCICA users and members of the Arbitration Community – longstanding friends and new partners alike – to continue working closely with the Centre, to support its mission, and to remain part of its journey.
As we welcome the New Year, I extend to you and your loved ones my warmest wishes for a year filled with health, peace, and renewed purpose. May 2026 bring continued success, meaningful collaboration, and shared achievements for our community and for CRCICA as it moves confidently into its next chapter.
With my deepest appreciation and best wishes for the year ahead,
Yours sincerely,
Dr. Ismail Selim |
