No fewer than 72 speakers across the globe. have confirmed their attendance for the forthcoming Chartered Institute of Arbitrators,CIArb, Nigeria Branch, annual conference.
The speakers selected from different disciplines and countries will be addressing issues bordering on the theme of the conference, ” Arbitration & ADR in a free trade Regime: Accessing Africa’s Readiness”.
According to the organisers, this year’s conference scheduled to hold between November 25th -27th, will hold virtually in adherence to COVID-19 protocols.
The Two Day Annual Conference will be preceded on the 25th November 2020, with the Young Arbitrators (YMG) Conference.
The main conference is broken down into sessions with a plenary session to start 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 26th November, to be chaired by former Attorney General of the Federation and former Trustee for Africa for the CIArb, Chief Bayo Ojo, SAN, C.Arb
The duo of the Branch Chair Mr. Tunde Busari, SAN, C.Arb and the Conference Planning Committee Chair Mr. Yakubu Chonoko Maikyau, SAN, FCIArb will welcome special guests, delegates, and participants.
President of CIArb, (UK)Francis Xavier, is expected to deliver the goodwill message and the keynote paper to be delivered by Chief Justice of Rwanda, Honourable Justice Dr. Faustin Ntezilyayo.
The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad Ph.D., GCON will declare the conference open.
The conference will also feature other compelling sessions to be handled by renowned and competent speakers.
Some of the sessions lined up for the programme included: “Promoting a Pro-enforcement culture in Africa: New measures in Arbitration and Mediation” to 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/panellists.
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/panellists the following: professors of law and practitioners, Prof. Paul Idornigie SAN, C.Arb, and Prof. Dr. 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 one of the conference to a close.
The second day of the conference will begin with the session on “Parties to contract to arbitrate: The impact of neo-colonialism and shadow interests”.
Panellists for this session include the internationally acclaimed Prof. Patrice Lumumba, Prof. 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 Professor. Dr. 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 Mrs. 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 currently President of Abuja Chamber of Commerce, Mines, Industry and Agriculture, and distinguished practitioners Adetola Onayemi, Diane Marcus-Okoko FCIArb and Professor 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” which is the last session will feature as speakers/panellists, Honourable Justice B.B. Kanyip, Ph.D. 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 the Director of the Kigali International Arbitration Centre.
