Webinar on Investment Treaty Reform in Times of COVID-19: A Policy Perspective
On 3 February 2021, the CIArb Egypt Branch jointly with CRCICA organized a webinar titled “Investment Treaty Reform in Times of COVID-19: A Policy Perspective”. The speaker was Mr. Hamed El Kady, International Investment Policy Officer, Division on Investment Enterprise, at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). The event was moderated by Prof. Dr. Mohamed Abdel Raouf, Attorney at Law and Chairman of the CIArb Egypt Branch.
The webinar addressed the importance of reforming existing international investment agreements (IIAs) in times of COVID-19. It highlighted the growing need to safeguard public policy objectives required to face the Pandemic while limiting the risk of facing investment claims. The webinar also discussed IIAs provisions that need to be urgently reformed in light of the IIA Reform Accelerator issued recently by the UNCTAD, and how UNCTAD could enhance its support to developing countries to help them reform their IIAs.
The webinar included an interactive discussion with participants, and allowed for polling surveys on a number of critical issues, including on specific recommendations for countries wishing to maintain a strong legal framework for investment while ensuring their right to regulate in the public interest. A number of real life examples were shared, including the formation of inter-ministerial task forces in a number of countries to reform IIAs while ensuring coherence with national development strategies and national laws and regulations on investment.
240 participants attended the webinar from: Angola, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Cameroon, Canada, Czech Republic, Egypt, Ethiopia, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hong Kong SAR, India, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Netherlands, Niger, Nigeria, Palestine, Philippines, Qatar, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Sierra Leone, Singapore, South Africa, Spain Switzerland, Tanzania, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, USA and Zambia.
CRCICA jointly with Macchi di Cellere Gangemi presented the second episode of their CRCICA-Macchi di Cellere Gangemi webinars Series on January 27th
The webinar which was titled, “The International Protection of Foreign Investors between Contract and Treaty” gave a quick guide to the mechanisms that exist to protect foreign investors and looks at how investment disputes are settled.
Dr. Ismail Selim, Director of the CRCICA, Secretary Treasurer of the IFCAI and Board Member of the AfAA, delivered a speech on “ICSID’s Convention- Article 26” and its effect on parallel proceedings.
Dr. Selim was joined by the distinguished speakers, Ms. Meg Kinnear, Secretary-General of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID); Dr. Dirk Pulkowski (Senior Legal Counsel, Permanent Court of Arbitration); Dr. Gabriele Ruscalla, Counsel, ICC International Court of Arbitration, Greater Paris Metropolitan Region; Mr. Alexis Mourre (President of the ICC International Court of Arbitration); and Gabriele Ruscalla (ICC Counsel). Moreover, the webinar was moderated by Ms. Anna De Luca, an International Economic Law Scholar and Practitioner specialized in International Investment Law & Arbitration, and EU law.
To watch the full webinar please visit:https://www.facebook.com/crcica/videos/165777818365182/
Webinar on: Withdrawal of a Court of Cassation Decision, an Exception on Res judicata
On 13 January 2021, the CIArb Egypt Branch jointly with CRCICA organized the webinar titled “Withdrawal of a Court of Cassation Decision: an Exception on Res Judicata”. The Webinar was delivered by Prof. Dr. Mohamed Hossam Loutfi, Professor of Civil Law and former Chair of Civil Law Department at the Faculty of Law, Bani-Suef University, Chair of UNESCO of Copyright and Neighboring Rights and Attorney-at-law. It was moderated by Ambassador Mohamed Moustafa Kamal, Former Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, Attorney- at – law, MCIArb & Member the Committee of the CIArb Egypt Branch. The webinar discussed the exceptional cases where decisions of the Court of Cassation in civil matters may be withdrawn under Egyptian law in civil cases, in light of the res judicata principle.
The webinar was attended by participants representing various professional backgrounds from Afghanistan, Albania, Austria, Bahrain, Canada, Ecuador, Egypt, France, Ghana, Iraq, Ireland, Japan, Jordan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, New Zealand, Nigeria, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sudan, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States of America, Yemen, and Zimbabwe
TagTime Series
In continuation of the success of the Tag Time Series, CRCICA sponsored their Third Season. TagTime Series is a live webinar series featuring leading counsel, arbitrators and academics in discussion of substantive issues in international arbitration. Discussions were followed by a Q&A with the audience and concluded with the guest speaker tagging the next guest.
Visit our Social media platforms to find more about the series.
LinkedIn: The Cairo Regional Centre for International Commercial Arbitration (CRCICA)
Webinar on Private-Public Arbitration, with Special Reference to PPP Contracts in the MENA Region
On 13 December 2020, the CIArb Egypt Branch and CRCICA jointly organized the webinar on: “Private-Public Arbitration, with Special Reference to PPP Contracts in the MENA Region”. The speaker was Judge Dr. Mohamed A M Ismail (FCIArb), Vice-President of the "Conseil D'Etat" and Judge at the Supreme Administrative Court (Contracts Circuit), and Member of the "Comite Francais De L'Arbitrage". The Moderator was Ambassador Mohamed Moustafa KAMAL (MCIArb), Former Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, Attorney- at – Law, and Member of the Committee of CIArb Egypt Branch.
The presentations focused on vital questions such as: Are the current Arab legislation following the French Civil Code conceptualization of the restricted right of public actors’ recourse to arbitration (Article 2060)? Are their exception to the rule in France and Arab countries? To what extent is the influence of the legal globalization phenomenon on Arab legislation and arbitration practice? Can arbitrators exercise public authority by reviewing government acts as to their legality (principle of legality)? and What is the new rising science of “lex mercatoria publica”?
Following the webinar, a prize draw was won by one of the webinar’s participants. The winner won a book titled “Public-Private Partnership Contracts - The Middle East and North Africa" authored and dedicated by Coun. Dr. Mohamed A M Ismail.
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