Branch Updtaes Q1-2023
Q1-2023 CIArb Egypt Branch News
New Chair, Vice-Chairs and Honorary Treasurer for the Egypt Branch on 9 March 2023, Committee members elected by consensus the Branch new officers:
Dr. Ismail Selim as Branch Chair, Dr. Dalia Hussein as Vice Chair and Honorary Secretary, Dr. Waleed El Nemr, as Vice Chair and Education and Training Officer, and Dr. Mohamed Hafez as Honorary Treasurer and Data Manger.
CIArb Branch Chairs Meeting
On 1 March 2023, Prof. Dr. Mohamed Abdel Raouf, Branch Chair, represented the Branch at the virtual CIArb Branch Chairs meeting with the CIArb Senior Management Team. Discussions focused on new criteria for the fellowship grade, new CIArb branches, updates on the CIArb website, approval on the “Chartered Adjudicator” grade, volunteer strategy, and data protection. The Branch Chair answered questions related to the branch concerns and the domestic development in our region. Prof. Abdel Raouf announced that he reached the end of his term in accordance to the Branch Model Rule, and that a new Chair will be elected in the next Committee meeting. The CIArb senior officers appreciated the dedication and support of Prof. Dr. Abdel Raouf for the progress of the branch.
CIArb Treasurer Meeting
On 24 February 2023, Dr. Ismail Selim, Branch Vice-Chair and Honorary Treasurer, represented the Branch at the virtual CIArb Treasurer Meeting. The Branch had submitted full year return (2022) to the Branch Network Support on 31 January 2023.
Mr. Jim O’Donnell , Executive Director of IT & Digital Transformation DT introduced the Branch Treasurers Tech update and CIArb new systems. He focused on the CIArb experience platform (integrating all areas through single sign on), new membership system (making it easier for Branches and members to interact directly), new website (all branches will be present) and HQ and the Branches’ development with the CIArb rebranding.
CIArb Egypt Branch Annual General Meeting
The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the CIArb Egypt Branch was held in hybrid format on 9 March 2022. 14 members attended the AGM attended in person, at the Branch seat at CRCICA and 24 members attended virtually. Prof. Dr. Mohamed Abdel Raouf, the Branch Chair, presided the meeting and delivered a presentation covering the activities of the Branch in 2022 and early 2023. The presentation included an overview of the Branch membership, activities of the second mentoring cycle 2022-2023, MENA Branch Chair Meetings and Treasurers Meetings, Branch networking platform, and the Branch’s webinars and trainings delivered by renowned speakers. Dr. Ismail Selim, the Branch Honorary Treasurer, presented the financial statement of the Branch.
Prof. Dr. Mohamed Abdel Raouf, Branch Chair, announced that he reached the end of his term and will step down as Branch Chair according to the Branch Model Rules. The Branch new Chair will be elected in the Branch Committee meeting to be held on 9 March 2023 (immediately following the current AGM). The next Branch AGM was scheduled to be held on 23 April 2024.
First Branch Committee Meeting 2023
The first Committee Meeting of the CIArb Egypt Branch was held in hybrid format on 9 March 2023. Members approved the agenda of the meeting and the minutes of the latest Committee meeting as recorded on 22 December 2022. The Branch Chair, Prof. Dr. Abdel Raouf, presented a brief on the CIArb Senior Management Team meeting held on 6 February 2023 and CIArb Branch Chair meeting held on 1 March 2023. The Branch Honorary Treasurer, Dr. Ismail Selim, presented a brief on the Branch Treasurer virtual meeting held on 24 February 2023 .
Members discussed other items of the agenda including the election of new Branch officers. Prof. Dr. Mohamed Abdel Raouf, Branch Chair, stepped down as the Chair of the Branch according to the Branch Model Rules. The Committee members unanimously elected by consensus the following Branch new officers: Dr. Ismail Selim (Branch Chair), Dr. Dalia Hussein (Vice Chair and Honorary Secretary), Dr. Waleed El Nemr (Vice Chair and Education and Training Officer), and Dr. Mohamed Hafez (Honorary Treasurer and Data Manger). Committee members heartedly recognized the distinguished leadership and dedication of Prof. Dr. Abdel Raouf and appreciated his tireless efforts and valuable contributions to the Branch. The Branch next Committee meeting was agreed to be held on 14 June 2023
Branch Events:
Seminar: “Debate on the DIPCO Case”
On 4 January 2023, the CIArb Egypt Branch organized jointly with the CRCICA a seminar titled “A Debate on the DIPCO Case”, a controversial decision recently issued by the Egyptian Court of Cassation related to the setting aside of international arbitral awards in Egypt. The speakers were Prof. Dr. Hani Sarie-Eldin, Founder & Managing Partner, Sarie El Din and Partners Law Firm and Professor of Commercial & Maritime Law at Cairo University, and Dr. Mohamed Aboul-Saoud, Founding Partner of HYKMA Attorneys at Law. The debate was moderated by Mr. Taher Hozayen, lawyer and arbitrator, Patron of the CIArb Egypt Branch. The seminar was attended by 115 participants mostly from legal background.
To watch the video of the debate, please click here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDg_rWk_GIc
Branch Seminar on the “Role of the WTO in Regulating Trade Relations and Settlement of Trade Disputes”
On 1 February 2023 , the Egypt Branch organized jointly with CRCICA a seminar on “The Role of the WTO in Regulating Trade Relations and Settlement of Trade Disputes”, held at CRCICA (the seat of the Branch). The speaker was Ambassador Dr. Mounir Zahran, former Chairman of the Joint Inspection Unit of the UN System Organizations and the moderator was Ambassador Mostafa Kamal, former Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and member of the Egypt Branch Committee.
The speaker presented an overview of the establishment of the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva in January 1995, the organization's negotiations to liberalize trade in services, its role in regulating trade relations between states and its experiences in the settlement of trade disputes between member states through the dispute settlement body.
To watch the video of the seminar, please click here:
Seminar: “International Arbitration Trends in 2023 - An African Perspective: What is Now, What is Next?”
On 28 February 2023, the CIArb Egypt Branch organized jointly with the CRCICA the webinar on “International Arbitration Trends in 2023 - An African Perspective: What is Now, What is Next?” The speakers were Mr. Jean-François Le Gal, Partner, Pinsent Masons LLP and Honorary Secretary of the CIArb London Branch, Mr. Girgis Abd El Shahid, Managing Partner, Shahid Law Firm, and Dr. Ismail Selim, Director of the CRCICA and Vice-Chair of the Egypt Branch. The event was moderated by Ambassador Mostafa Kamal, former Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and member of the Egypt Branch Committee.
The event approached the international arbitration trends in 2023 in light of the findings of the recent SOAS Arbitration in Africa Survey and the increase in infrastructure and energy-related Disputes in light of the 2022 Energy Arbitration Survey conducted by the School of International Arbitration (SIA), Queen Mary University of London in partnership with Pinsent Masons.
Mr. Le Gal focused on the main drivers of Africa-connected disputes, as showed by the SOAS Survey, and connected the surveys’ findings in relation to infrastructure and energy disputes. Mr. Abd El-Shahid attempted to apply some of the responses in the Queen Mary/Pinsent Masons Survey to Egypt taking the the Benban Solar Park Project and its associated contracts as a reference. He concluded his speech by providing a practical analysis of the most popular arbitral seats for energy disputes, with a reflection on Cairo being a potential “go-to” arbitral seat of energy disputes. Dr. Ismail Selim presented the arbitral institution’s view regarding infrastructure and energy disputes and their arbitration agreements. Ambassador Mostafa Kamal gave insights on the Egyptian governmental view of this kind of disputes.
To watch the video of the webinar, please click here:
