Seminar on Reviewing International Reforms to the Investment Regime and to the ISDS Mechanism: Perspectives from the Asian-African Regions, Arusha, Tanzania 19-21 November 2018
AALCO in partnership with the African Institute of International Law conducted a Seminar on the topic “Reviewing International Reforms to the Investment Regime and to the Investor-State Dispute Settlement Mechanism: Perspectives from the Asian-African Regions” from 19 – 21 November 2018 at the Arusha International Conference Centre in Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania. The Seminar was financially supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, People’s Republic of China, who also provided eminent resource persons to share their thoughts and experience on the topics.
The Seminar focused its sessions on the contemporary key outstanding issues on the topic including the renegotiation and termination of investment treaties, reform proposals in the UN Commission on the International Trade Law, Investment Support Programmes for Least Developed Countries, an appraisal of the proposal for a World Investment Court, legal issues relating to the Belt and Road Initiative, reform of the Investor-State Dispute Settlement Mechanism, prevention and management of investment disputes, and the role of the AALCO Regional Arbitration Centres in the settlement of investment disputes.
Welcome remarks at the Seminar were delivered by Amb. Sani Mohammed, Rector, AIIL, H.E. Prof. Dr. Kennedy Gastorn, Secretary-General of AALCO, Dr. Sun Jin, Counsellor, Department of Treaty and Law, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, People’s Republic of China. A special address was presented by Honorable Chief Bayo Ojo, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Republic of Nigeria and President, African Arbitration Association. The Keynote Address was delivered by Prof. Palamagamba Kabudi, Hon’b Honorable Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, United Republic of Tanzania.
Notable speakers at the seminar included Mr. José Angelo Faria, Senior Legal Officer and Head, Technical Assistance Section, International Trade Law Division, Office of Legal Affairs, United Nations, Dr. Aniruddha Rajput, Member, UN International Law Commission, Dr. Sun Jin, Counsellor, Department of Treaty and Law, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, People’s Republic of China, Mr. Toshio Nagase, Chief Representative of the Japan International Cooperative Agency in Tanzania, Mr. YU Tengqun, Vice President & General Counsel of China Railway Group Limited, Ms. Zhang Huiling, Deputy Director, Division of Legal Commission of the Department of Treaty Law, Ministry of Commerce, People’s Republic of China and other learned experts and resource persons from law firms, universities, legal practice and international organizations. The Seminar was attended by 82 participants including legal practitioners and government officials from the following AALCO Member States- Arab Republic of Egypt, Japan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, People’s Republic of China, Republic of Ghana, Republic of India, Republic of Nigeria, Republic of Uganda, and the United Republic of Tanzania. Participants were also drawn from the African Union (AU), the East African Court of Justice, the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT) Secretariat, the Institute for the Belt and Road Initiative and Legal Diplomacy Studies, and the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC).