On 9 January 2018, CRCICA organized a conference on: The Use of French as the Language of Arbitration “L’usage du français comme langue de l’arbitrage” in collaboration with the French Arbitration Committee (CFA), Francarbi, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Egypt (CCIFE), the Comparative Legislation Society (Société de Legislation Comparée) and the Association for the Promotion of Arbitration in Africa (APAA).
The French Ambassador to Egypt , H. E. M. Stéphane Romatet inaugurated the Conference and praised CRCICA for its efforts to create an institutionally-empowered “strategic axis for the use of French as the Language of Arbitration.”The agenda focused on the use of the French language in law and in arbitration. The use of French in arbitration proceedings was discussed from the point of view of lawyers and arbitrators. The advantages and disadvantages of bilingual arbitral proceedings were also debated and the conference ended with a round table discussion on the geographic approaches of the use of the French language in Arbitration. The conference also included a unique session in which Professor Charles Jarrosson spoke on arbitration in the French literature.
It is worth noting that CRCICA has taken vigorous strides to promote the use of French in arbitration, especially after the issuance of the French version of its Rules in March 2017 which was logistically supported by a growing number of trilingual staff.
Interventions from participants representing 14 different countries, stressed the importance and advantages of the use of the French language in international arbitration as well as its growing popularity, especially in African States. Conferees were from Algeria, Belgium, Cameroon, Chad, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Egypt, France, Guinea, Lebanon, Libya, Switzerland, and Tunis.
The conference was sponsored by Ibrachy Legal Consultancy. Media Partners included The Law, the Egyptian Association for French Jurists (AEJF), International Arbitration Africa (I-ARB) and Law Today.
The French Ambassador to Egypt , H. E. M. Stéphane Romatet inaugurated the Conference and praised CRCICA for its efforts to create an institutionally-empowered “strategic axis for the use of French as the Language of Arbitration.”