Fifteen
countries to show presence at 3rd ICC Africa confab
…to hold 18th to 19th of June, 2018

 Not less
than 350 participants representing about 15 countries will be present at the
3rd International Chambers of Commerce (ICC) Africa Conference on International
Arbitration which is scheduled to hold on Monday June 18th and Tuesday 19th,
2018 at the Civic Centre, Ozumba Mbadiwe Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The
conference is an annual event at which the African arbitration community
updates itself on developments in the region and is also a great opportunity
for participants to network and develop excellent business and professional
relationships.

Aelex Partner, Funke Adekoya, SAN who is also the chairperson of
the conference said the conference, which is the most important gathering for
the African arbitration community will provide invaluable updates on
developments in the region, during a series of panel discussions with a faculty
of prominent speakers and thought leaders.

According
to her, ICC’s annual Africa conference, held in English and French, is the key
forum for understanding international commercial arbitration in Africa.

“This
conference provides an indispensable update on developments in the region and
is becoming the most important gathering for the African arbitration community.
Not only does it offer a line-up of top-class speakers, topical discussions and
relevant news, but also an excellent opportunity to network,” Adekoya said.

The event
will kick off on Monday 18 June 2018, with a session focusing on, ICC
Arbitration: Innovation on the Basis of the Tradition for Quality. This will
introduce the latest strive of the ICC International Court of Arbitration for
enhancing time and cost efficiency to a fast track arbitration for smaller
claims while ensuring fundamental quality features.

Another
session will focus on Clause and Effect: Seating your Arbitration in Africa.
This session will discuss how African jurisdictions have responded to the
requirements of an arbitration friendly environment and its impact upon
arbitration on the continent.

In
addition to these, there will be an engaging session on International
Arbitration Awards: First Bus Stop or Last Station. Panellists will discuss
this topic against the backdrop of domestic and international legislation, conventions
and proposed initiatives.

Another
engaging session focusing on Africa Rising – Stemming the Flight of Arbitral
Disputes, will stress on attendant issues resulting in the delocalisation and
flight of arbitral disputes from Africa.
 

Panel
Discussions on this session will include identification and discussion of
attendant factors that weigh against seating arbitrations in African
Jurisdictions. Panellists will offer perspectives and bring their individual
jurisdictional experiences to bear on discussions and explore how the
challenges can be surmounted, if not eliminated, so that arbitration can take
its rightful role as a Catalyst for economic growth in Africa.

After the long day of impactful activities, the day will end with
a cocktail.

Tuesday 19 June 2018 will kick off with a session focusing on
Supporting the Arbitral Process. This session will consider and identify the
various bodies which support arbitration and the entire arbitral process.

Speakers
will discuss the significant role the State plays in arbitration by providing
enabling legislation that validates and legitimizes arbitration. The
Judiciary’s role during the arbitral process regarding issues such as challenge
of arbitrators, interim measures and enforcement of awards will also be
discussed. The role played by arbitral institutions will also be examined.

It is
expected that the outcome of the session will be an identification of whether
arbitration in Africa receives sufficient support and also proffer any
suggestions on how arbitral process can be better supported.

There
will also be panel discussions on the session Arbitrability in Africa: New
hopes or Lost Opportunities. Discussions on this session will focus on whether the
approaches to arbitrability taken by African jurisdictions give rise to new
hopes (increased use of African seats) or lost opportunities (reluctance to
arbitrate in African jurisdictions).

Participants
are in for an interesting session on ECOWAS Energy Protocol “Reality or Mirage”
as panel discussions on this session will focus on the effectiveness and/or
potential impact of the Protocol on energy related disputes in the West African
sub region.

In a bid
to understand the damages tool being developed by the ICCA-ASIL Damages Task
Force which allows everyone easy access to complex damages analysis, there will
be a session focusing on Damages tools – Globalizing the Analysis of Damages.

During
this interactive session, distinguished legal and economic experts will explain
the tool and demonstrate how it works by illustrating the lifecycle of a
damages case, before asking the audience for feedback.