The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Nigeria Branch will hold its Annual Conference from November 25 to 27, 2020.
In strict adherence to COVID-19 protocols, this year’s event will hold virtually.
CIArb was founded in the United Kingdom in 1915, Incorporated in 1924 and granted a Royal Charter in 1979.
It has a multi-disciplinary membership of over 16,000 located in more than 133 countries around the world, supported by an international network of over 40 branches.
The theme of this year’s conference is: ARBITRATION & ADR IN A FREE TRADE REGIME: ACCESSING AFRICA’S READINESS.”
In all, about 72 speakers and panellists from within and outside Nigeria, drawn from various professions and disciplines, have been invited to do justice to the conference theme and other related topics.
The Two-Day Annual Conference will be preceded on November 25, 2020 with the Young Arbitrators Conference.
The main conference is broken down into sessions with a plenary session to start the day and joint session to close the conference.
The conference will also feature the induction of different cadre of membership.
The plenary session, which will feature the opening formalities and the Keynote Speech, will hold on November 26, 2020, will be chaired by Chief Bayo Ojo (SAN), former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice and former Trustee for Africa for the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.
The duo of the Branch Chair, Tunde Busari (SAN), and the Conference Planning Committee Chair, Yakubu Chonoko Maikyau (SAN), will welcome special guests, delegates and participants.
The President of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (UK), Francis Xavier, will deliver a goodwill message, whilst the keynote paper will be delivered by the Honourable Chief Justice of Rwanda, Dr. Faustin Ntezilyayo.
Honourable Justice Amina Augie will discuss the keynote paper.
The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Honourable Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad, will declare the conference open.
The session on: “Promoting a Pro-enforcement culture in Africa: New measures in Arbitration and Mediation,” will feature speakers such as the President of the Court of Appeal, Nigeria, Honourable Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, and international scholar and practitioner Dr. Emelia Onyema of SOAS, London.
Other panellists are A.B. Mahmoud (SAN), former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, and international speaker Anish Wadia.
The session on: “The Singapore Convention on enforcement of mediation agreements: Matters Arising,” will feature the Chief Judge of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Honourable Justice I.U. Bello, and the President of the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators, Chief Emeka Obegolu, as speakers/panellist.
Other panellists are the internationally acclaimed speakers Dr. Gaston Kenfack, Amani Khalifa and Jane Gunn.
The session on: “Free trade regimes and investor state Disputes: The Intersection between ICSID and AfCFTA,” will feature as speakers/panellist: renowned professors of law and practitioners, Prof. Paul Idornigie (SAN) and Prof. Maxi Scherer.
Others are international speaker, Leyou Tameru, and Seni Adio (SAN), immediate past Chairman of the Section on Business Law of the Nigerian Bar Association.
The session on: “Enforcing Arbitral Awards and Settlement Agreements in Africa: New paradigms and considerations,” will have as panellists the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Honourable Justice John Tsoho; distinguished author and practitioner, Yemi Candide-Johnson (SAN), Chairman of the Board of LACIAC; Dr. Babatunde Fagbohunlu (SAN); and Ibrahim Shehata.
This session will bring Day 1 of the conference to a close.
Day 2 of the conference will begin with the Session on: “Parties to contract to arbitrate: The impact of neo-colonialism and shadow interests.”
The panellists for this session include the internationally acclaimed Prof. Patrice Lumumba, Professor Jonathan Aremu, Achille Ngwanza, and Chief J.K. Gadzama (SAN), former Chairman of the Abuja Chapter of the Nigerian Branch of the Institute.
The session on: “The impact of the One Belt One Road Initiative on the resolution of dispute in Africa,” will feature as speakers/panellists, international scholars and practitioners: Prof. Mohammed Abdelwahab and Dr. Gordon Blanke.
Other panellists are the distinguished practitioner and pioneer Chairman of the Section on Business Law of the Nigerian Bar Association, George Etomi; and Tony Ejinkonye, past President of Abuja Chambers of Commerce Mines, Industry and Agriculture.
The session on: “The culture of waste and underdevelopment: A challenge to a free trade regime in goods and services,” will feature Mitta Gyang; internationally acclaimed economist and writer, Keith Boyfield; Otunba Dele Oye, 2nd Deputy President of Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture; and Gerald Konwea, an expert on the AfCFTA.
The session on: “Dispute resolution protocols in AfCFTA: Reviewing existing protocols and rules,” will feature Prince Adetokunbo Kayode (SAN), former Attorney General of the Federation and President of Abuja Chamber of Commerce, Mines, Industry and Agriculture; and distinguished practitioners Adetola Onayemi, Diane Marcus-Okoko and Prof. Agbo Madaki as panellists.
The session on: “The role of existing Arbitral institutions in Africa and their continued relevance to socio-economic development in Africa,” is the last session for the day and will feature as speakers/panellists: Honourable Justice B.B. Kanyip, President, National Industrial Court; Dr. Ismail Selim of the Cairo Regional Centre for International Arbitration; Susan Kimani; Hon. Wilfred Danola Ikatari of the Regional Centre for International Arbitration, Lagos; and Dr. Fidele Masengo, Director of the Kigali International Arbitration Centre.
The statement from the organisers added: “The conference promises to be intellectually stimulating and engaging and the organizers look forward to welcoming delegates and participants to the first ever virtual conference of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.”
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