On September 21, 2021, as part of Paris Arbitration Week, the law firm Cleary Gottlieb presented a webinar entitled “Africa Outlook: Arbitration trends”. Dr. Selim, the director of the Cairo Regional Centre for International Commercial Arbitration (CRCICA), was invited as a speaker to discuss specific challenges in international arbitration encountered by Africa.

Dr. Selim mentioned the 2021 CRCICA Dispute Board Rules. He noted that only a few arbitral institutions adopted Dispute Board Rules despite the growing importance of the construction sector in Africa. Dr. Selim also highlighted the salient feature of CRCICA Dispute Board Rules which is the optional administrative support provided by the Centre.

The webinar also broached to what extent an arbitral institution can have a global reach. Dr. Selim addressed the essential characteristics for a successful arbitral institution like the CRCICA. Some salient features include a modern set of rules based on modern and reputable rules such as UNCITRAL rules, an advisory committee and Director specializing in arbitration, and a methodical case management team.

Dr. Selim highlighted that the jurisdiction in which the arbitral institution is located has an impact on its attractiveness. Thus, Dr. Selim mentioned that CRCICA is involved in the training of Egyptian judges to ensure that Cairo remains a safe seat of arbitration. We thank the Paris Arbitration Week and Cleary Gottlieb for this fruitful webinar.