Commonwealth International Arbitration Study: open for participation

CIArb is proud to support the Commonwealth International Arbitration Study and hereby warmly invites its Members from Commonwealth countries to participate in this initiative.

The Commonwealth Secretariat is conducting a Study on challenges to accessing international commercial arbitration across the Commonwealth, and potential solutions. The Secretariat was requested to conduct the study by Senior Officials of Commonwealth Law Ministries at their meeting in London in October 2018.

The aim of the study is to understand the use of international commercial arbitration in addressing commercial disputes across the Commonwealth, as well as ways in which member countries may strengthen the accessibility and effectiveness of international commercial arbitration. The study will be authored by a group of distinguished arbitration experts, advised by a task force representing arbitration expertise from every region of the Commonwealth.

Lewis Johnston, CIArb Head of Policy says:

“The Commonwealth International Commercial Arbitration Study is an important initiative to better understand how Commonwealth commercial disputes are addressed, and how to build stronger and more accessible frameworks of international commercial arbitration across member countries.

 Promoting the wider use of non-court dispute resolution mechanisms – and improving the effectiveness of those mechanisms – are at the core of our mission as a professional body. That is why we are proud to support the Commonwealth Secretariat on this project and encourage all CIArb members to contribute to the survey. Their expertise is an invaluable resource and can help shape the future of international commercial arbitration both across the Commonwealth and beyond”

The expert authors of the study are Prof Petra Butler (University of Victoria), Gary Born (WilmerHale), Robert Griffiths QC (Six Pump Court), Audley Sheppard QC (Clifford Chance), and Funke Adekoya (AÉLEX).

Working closely with the Commonwealth Secretariat, the group are supported by Executive Secretary Dharshini Prasad (WilmerHale) and the study task force: Nania Owusu-Ankomah Sackey (Bentsi-Enchill, Letsa and Ankomah), Anthony Daimsis (University of Ottowa), Tejas Karia (Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas and Co.), Jan Yves Remy (University of the West Indies), Mahesh Rai (Drew & Napier LLC), Kamal Shah (Stephenson Harwood), Ana Tuiketei (Barrister, Fiji), and Emilia Onyema (SOAS University of London).

The Study is expected to be completed for consideration at the meeting of Commonwealth Law Ministers in late 2019. The Secretariat welcome responses from all Commonwealth nations; a full list of Commonwealth nations is available here.

To complete the survey, please follow the link below:

http://thecommonwealth.org/arbitration-study