The Qatar International Center for Conciliation and Arbitration (QICCA) at Qatar Chamber recently held a seminar titled ‘Investment Arbitration’ via video conferencing.
The webinar touched on many topics including the recent trends and principles in investment arbitration as well as the new amendments to the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) Rules and other relevant topics.
The speakers during the webinar include Gary B. Born, the international lawyer and academic and Chair of the International Arbitration and International Litigation practices at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr, and Paul Jean Le Cannu, Team Leader and Senior Legal Counsel at the ICSID.
Moderated by QICCA’s legal counsellor Khaled Elgarhe, the webinar was attended by more than 500 participants from law firms, arbitrators, and practioners.
In a statement, QICCA Board Member for International Relations Sheikh Dr. Thani bin Ali Al Thani said that the webinar stressed QICCA’s interest to host seminars regularly and on monthly basis with the aim of disseminating the arbitration culture in the state and promoting the use of arbitration as one of the most important alternative means of dispute settlement in a way that reflects positively on the state’s economy and vision.
He also emphasized QICCA’s interest to host speakers that are directly involved in the webinar’s theme, such as the well-known arbitrator and international lawyer Gary Born, as well as the Senior Legal Adviser of the ICSID Paul Jean Le Cannu.
For his part, Gary Born reviewed the recent views and principles in investment arbitration. He said that arbitration in investment disputes witnessed significant developments over the recent year, affirming that this positively impacted procedures and principles of investment arbitration.
In turn, Paul Jean Le Cannu reviewed the ISCID new rules which are expected to come into force in July this year, noting that the new system includes innovative and unique features and are designed to keep balance between the interests of investors and host country.
He also affirmed that the new rules are neutral and autonomous and saves time and money. He noted that the new rules take into account the diversity of investment disputes and the importance of solving them in appropriate tools that fit all types of disputes.