On 27 September 2019, CRCICA was represented by Mr. Craig Tevendale, Partner, Head of International Arbitration Group in London at Herbert Smith Freehills and Member of CRCICA’s Advisory Committee, at a Round Table event hosted by Gide’s London Office on: "Arbitral Institutions, A Necessity or a Burden?". The event was organized by Gide Loyrette Nouel LLP and the International Business Law Journal / Revue du Droit des Affaires (IBLJ/RDAI). Mr. Tevendale introduced the topic on “institutional and regional arbitration” focusing on the defining characteristics of “international” vs “regional arbitration”; the longevity and stability of CRCICA in Africa, and the growth of CRCICA in attracting arbitration from all over the continent of Africa, and the importance of developing strong institutions worldwide in order to promote the credibility and legitimacy of arbitration amongst its users. Participants were arbitration specialists including arbitral institutional representatives from Egypt, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK and the USA.

Interestingly, both users and institutional representatives, emphasized the importance of being physically close to the parties in order to attract business. There was also particular interest in the possible appointment of sitting Egyptian judges by the parties as arbitrators subject to the approval of the High Judicial Council, and the reasons why this may be appropriate or less appropriate in other jurisdictions.