Branch Updates Q3
Catch up below on the following Egypt Branch activities during Q3 2021.
Chair of the CIARB Egypt Branch Elected as Egypt's Alternate Member of the ICC International Court of Arbitration
Prof Dr Mohamed Abdel Raouf, Attorney at Law, Partner and Head of the International Arbitration Group at Abdel Raouf Law Firm and Chair of CIArb Egypt Branch, was elected by the ICC World Council as Egypt's Alternate Member of the ICC International Court of Arbitration for a three-year term starting on 1 July 2021. Commenting on his appointment, Professor Abdel Raouf stated “I am grateful and honored to be elected by the ICC World Council as Egypt's alternate member of the ICC International Court of Arbitration for a three-year term starting 1 July 2021. I look forward to being useful and to working with my fellow ICC Court members from around the world led by Claudia Salomon, the first female President of the ICC Court”.
CIArb Egypt Branch Second Committee Meeting
The second Committee Meeting of the CIArb Egypt Branch was conducted virtually on 7 July 2021. Members approved the Agenda of the meeting and the minutes of the latest Committee Meeting as recorded on 6 April 2021. The Branch Chair, Prof. Dr. Abdel Raouf, presented the CIArb Education and Training update following Q2 2020 Branch Chairs Meetings. The update included change in 4 processes namely, course approvals, faculty applications, course delivery, and Assessments and Calendar. Members agreed on some initiatives to encourage social networking with Branch members including the initiation of a Networking Directory and the making of videos and other materials to promote the Branch Mentoring Programme. Members discussed other items of the agenda including approving the Charter and Vision of the Branch YMG. Discussions also approached the Branch future events; namely, Workshop in Arabic on Witness Cross-Examination, joint CRCICA- Egypt Branch launching event on CRCICA’s Dispute Board (DB) Rules, and ARM course. The next Branch Committee meeting was scheduled on 28 September 2021.
First CIArb Joint Egypt- London YMG Webinar "Good Faith" and Construction Contracts: English and Egyptian Perspectives
On 20 July 2021, the Young Members Groups (YMG) of the CIArb Egypt Branch and the CIArb London Branch jointly organized the first Egypt- London YMG Webinar title "Good Faith and Construction Contracts: English and Egyptian Perspectives”, hosted by the London Branch. The moderator was Ms. Aisha Nadar, Senior Consultant, Advokatfirman Runeland (Sweden). The speakers were Prof. Dr. Mohamed Abdel Wahab, Founding Partner and Head of International Arbitration, Construction and Energy at Zulficar & Partners Law Firm, Professor of International Arbitration, Private International Law and English Contract Law at Cairo University (Egypt), and Mr. Robert Price, Solicitor Advocate, Member of the International Arbitration Practice at the London Office of Latham & Watkins, Representative of the London Branch's YMG (UK). The panel focused on good faith from both the English and Egyptian perspectives, how it impacts substantive obligations in construction contracts and how it impacts dispute resolution provisions.
The webinar was exclusive for young CIArb members. 60 participants attended the webinar from Canada, Egypt, Germany India, Kuwait, Mexico, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and UK. Ben Giaretta, Chair of London Branch, commented: “ The Young Members Group of the CIArb London Branch held a very successful joint seminar with the YMG of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) Egypt Branch”
CIArb YMGs bring together dispute resolution practitioners and students below the age of 40. Egypt YMG presents opportunities for Egypt Branch Members to participate and benefit from activities catered to them, both within the Branch and other CIArb Branches’ YMGs. For more information about the Egypt YMG, please click here.
First Workshop in Arabic on: Witness Cross-Examination in International Arbitration
On 16 September 2021, the CIArb Egypt Branch organized jointly with CRCICA the first workshop in Arabic on Witness Cross-Examination in International Arbitration, hosted by CRCICA. Speakers were Mr. Ahmed Ibrahim, Independent Arbitrator and Founder of Ibrahim ADR (Dubai), Ms. Sara Koleilat-Aranjo, Partner at Al-Tamimi & Company (Dubai), and Prof. Dr. Mohamed Abdel Wahab, Founding Partner and Head of International Arbitration, Construction and Energy Groups at Zulficar & Partners Law Firm and Professor of International Arbitration and Private International Law at Cairo University (Egypt). The one-day workshop was held physically with a limited number of attendees to ensure social distancing and other precautionary measures.
The workshop programme comprised a number of lectures and a practical training session. Lectures focused on the approaches of the Civil Law and Common Law systems regarding cross-examination of witnesses, the steps to cross-examine witnesses and the main mistakes that should be avoided to conduct a successful cross-examination. The last session of the workshop included a practical training on a mock case. Participants were divided into groups where they played the roles of witnesses, lawyers and arbitrators. Participants were lawyers, civil and construction engineers and academics from Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, and KSA. They received certificates of attendance at the end of the workshop. Participants praised the content and organization or the workshop in their posts and comments on social media platforms.
CIArb Egypt Branch Third Committee Meeting
The third Committee Meeting of the CIArb Egypt Branch was conducted virtually on 28 September 2021. Members approved the Agenda of the meeting and the minutes of the latest Committee Meeting as recorded on 7 July 2021. Prof Dr Abdel Raouf, Branch Chair, presented the Branch Development Plan 2022; Dr Ismail Selim, Honorary Treasurer, presented the Branch Budget 2022. Branch members shared views on the topics of the Branch events in 2022 as they were invited to contribute to the Branch Development Plan through a poll survey. Committee Members discussed and approved the Branch Development Plan and Budget 2022.
Prof Dr Abdel Raouf presented the Branch the new social networking activities aiming to encourage communication with Branch members including, the Branch YouTube Channel, the promotional and wrap-up videos of the Branch events on the Branch LinkedIn page, as well as the LinkedIn Performance Report to measure the involvement with the Branch activities and the members’ feedback. He also pointed out that the Membership Directory was being linked to the Branch webpage, and that Members were also able to update their profiles at the Branch Directory on the newly initiated Branch WhatsApp group.
The Branch Chair also presented a brief on CIArb Branch Chair MENA region virtual meeting with CIArb Director General held on 12 July 2021. The Branch Honorary Treasurer presented a brief on CIArb Branch Treasurers' virtual Meeting with CIArb Assistant Director of Finance, Planning and Reporting held on 12 July 2022. Members discussed the activities of the Branch first Cycle of Mentoring Programme, and upcoming events including, the CIArb ARM and Comparative Commercial Arbitration: Theory and Practice (CCATP) courses, joint CRCICA/Egypt Branch launch event of CRCICA’s Dispute Board Rules, Wednesday One events. They also suggested holding seminars to introduce the most important recent publications interesting the members of the Branch, and a networking meeting for members of the First Cycle of the Mentoring Programme in Q1 2022. The next Branch Committee meeting was scheduled on 30 November 2021. The Branch Annual General Meeting was scheduled on 22 March 2022.
Egypt Branch New Networking Platform
As part of the Egypt Branch activities to develop networking opportunities for the members, the Branch has activated a number of social media platforms to encourage members to express their views about the Branch activities, help them to network and interact with the arbitration community in Egypt and the region, and benefit from the experiences of other members.