On 25 November 2019, the International Bar Association (IBA) and CRCICA organized the IBA Workshop on Soft Laws in International Arbitration at CRCICA’s auditorium. The event provided an in-depth look at the IBA three instruments in international arbitration: IBA Rules on the Taking of Evidence, IBA Guidelines on Conflicts of Interest; and IBA Guidelines on Party Representation in International Arbitration. The Keynote speech was presented by Mr. Alexander G. Fessas, Secretary General, ICC International Court of Arbitration.

The agenda comprised of three panels; the first panel focused on IBA Rules on the Taking of Evidence and the panelists were Dr. Ismail Selim, CRCICA’s Director, and Ms. Samaa Haridi, Vice-Chair of IBA Arbitration Committee and Co-Chair of IBA Africa Arbitration Network.

The second panel related to the IBA Guidelines on Party Representation by Prof. Dr. Mohamed Abdelwahab, Founding Partner & Head of the International Arbitration, Construction, Oil & Gas and Projects Groups, Zulficar & Partners, and Ms. Samaa Haridi.

Mr. Girgis Abdel Shahid, Managing Partner, Shahid Law Firm, and Ms. Sofia Martins, IBA Arbitration Committee Member were the panelists of the third panel addressed IBA Guidelines on Conflicts of Interest.

Discussions raised lively questions related to, inter alia, acceptance and application of IBA rules worldwide, role of IBA rules in improving arbitration and arbitration laws in the ME, and the stance of national courts and arbitration institutions towards the IBA rules.

134 participants attended from China, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Germany, Jordan, KSA, Morocco, Palatine, Sudan, Syria, the UAE, and the UK and had various backgrounds and professions, including law firms, universities, public and private sectors, construction and petroleum industry as well as members the Public and Administrative Prosecution.