On 10 April 2019, CRCICA organized a seminar on “Some ethical problems faced by a party appointed arbitrator in investment arbitrations”. The speaker was Prof. Dr. Georges Abi Saab, Honorary Professor of International Law at the Graduate Institute of International Studies (Geneva), Former Member and President of the Appellate Body, World Trade Organization (WTO), and Member of CRCICA’s Board of Trustees. The seminar was moderated by CRCICA’s Director Dr. Ismail Selim.

Professor Abi Saab addressed controversial issues related to the independence and impartiality of arbitrators in investment arbitrations, including issue conflict, repeat appointments, and proposals to abolish the appointments of arbitrators by the parties. He highlighted the fundamental importance of impartiality in investor-state arbitrations because the state, party to these cases, represents the public interest.

The event was attended by 131 participants from Egypt, Guinea, and Sudan. Participants were members of law firms, the Egyptian Lawsuit Authority, Egyptian State Council and professors at Cairo University, Helwan University, Beni-Sweif University, Assiut University and the American University in Cairo. Other participants were from of the Ministry of Culture, GAFI, and the banking and gas sectors.