10th ICC Africa Conference on International Arbitration

08.30 – 09.00

Registration and welcome coffee

09.00 – 09.10

Welcoming address, introduction and presentation of the ICC Institute of World Business Law

09.10 – 10.10

Drafting an arbitral award: which drafting style?

Participants will receive first-hand guidelines and knowledge on best practices pertaining to award legal drafting styles. How legal systems and traditions can influence drafting techniques, the different approaches in civil and common law. How to improve the quality of the award, by getting away from the “copy and paste” drafting style, to properly reflect the reasons behind the arbitral decision, identifying how much “reasoning” is necessary to render a fully convincing award and secure its enforceability.

10.10 – 10.40

Q&A

10.40 – 10.55

Coffee Break

10.55 – 11.40

Drafting an arbitral award: spotlight on specific issues

This session will focus on particular sections of the award which often present difficulties and challenges in particular:

1. Jurisdiction and applicable law
2. Damages
3. Auxiliary remedies: interest and costs

11.40 – 12.45

Case scenarios and Q&A

12.45 – 13.45

Lunch

13.45 – 14.15

Introduction to scrutiny of the award by the ICC International Court of Arbitration (“ICC Court”)

Participants will gain a deeper insight into a distinctive feature of ICC arbitration, the ICC Court’s scrutiny of all draft awards. An ICC representative will share their expertise on the ICC Court scrutiny process, the different levels of review, the assistance and tools provided by the Secretariat of the Court, such as the “ICC Award Checklist”, to help arbitral tribunals, although respecting their liberty of decision, draft more legally effective awards.

14.15 – 14.30

Discussion

14.30 – 15.45

Working groups: draft award review before scrutiny by the ICC Court

Participants will be given the opportunity to study a draft award, in the conditions in which a draft award would be reviewed before scrutiny by the ICC Court. Each working group will be responsible for reviewing the draft award and will make its comments as if it were a Counsel of the Secretariat of the ICC Court.

15.45 – 16.15

Coffee Break

16.15 – 17.30

Mock Court session: scrutiny of the award by the ICC Court and debate

This is an opportunity for participants to witness the type of discussions that are held between members of the ICC Court and representatives of the Secretariat when reviewing a draft award. The parties to this mock court session will debate on the draft award reviewed by the working groups.

17.30 – 17.40

Concluding remarks

18.00 – 20.00

Welcome Cocktail

08.00 – 09.00

Registration and welcome coffee

09.00 - 09.30

Welcome remarks and Keynote speech

09.30 – 10.20

Fireside chat with Claudia Salomon, President, ICC International Court of Arbitration.

Topic: Pioneering Excellence: Leadership, Legacy and the Road Ahead

This opening fireside conversation brings together African leading business voices for a high-level exchange on leadership, experience, and the road ahead. Drawing on regional commercial realities, the discussion will explore how business leadership shapes confidence, stability, and long-term value in cross-border activity across Africa. Chaired by the President of the ICC Court, the conversation will highlight shared insights, practical experience, and institutional perspectives that inform the evolving landscape of international dispute resolution.

10.20 – 10.50

Coffee break

10.50 – 11.35

Session 1 - The Modern Bench: Evolving Judicial Support for International Arbitration

Courts across Africa are increasingly adopting a more structured and arbitration-supportive approach. This session considers how the modern bench is strengthening its interaction with arbitral proceedings through updated frameworks, institutional reform, and more consistent court assistance, while respecting the autonomy of arbitral proceedings. The discussion will focus on the court–arbitration interface, highlighting practical pathways for court support, including interim measures, evidence gathering, enforcement, and procedural efficiency. By addressing these themes, the session underscores the judiciary’s contribution to a predictable, efficient, and credible international arbitration ecosystem.

11.35 – 11.50

Discussion with audience

11.50 – 12.35

Session 2: Beneath the Surface: Resource Nationalism & Investor Risk

This session will be in French Language

The extractives sector is shaped by shifting policies, evolving state priorities and volatile market conditions that often give rise to high‑stakes disputes. This session looks beyond these dynamics to explore how resource nationalism, regulatory change and investor expectations interact in complex ways. Panellists will discuss trends in contractual risk allocation, stabilisation mechanisms and arbitral approaches to maintaining fairness and predictability, highlighting how states and investors can create more resilient and sustainable frameworks for managing disputes in this critical sector.

12.35 – 13.00

Discussion with audience

13.00 – 14.30

Lunch

14.30 – 15.15

Session 3: Fast-Track Justice: Expedited Arbitration Eight Years On

As users increasingly demand faster and more cost-efficient dispute resolution, expedited arbitration has emerged as a significant development in institutional arbitration practice. Drawing on insights from the ICC Commission report “Expedited Procedure Provisions: Eight Years On”, this session explores how the ICC Expedited Procedure operates in practice and what eight years of experience reveal about its effectiveness. Bringing together institutional perspectives alongside views from arbitrators, counsel and users who have worked with expedited proceedings, the discussion will examine when the procedure works best, how tribunals manage compressed timelines, and how efficiency can be achieved without compromising fairness and due process.

15.15 – 15.30

Discussion with audience

15.30 – 16.15

Session 4: Professional Standing in International Arbitration: Visibility, Credibility & Opportunity

In international arbitration practice, professional standing often hinges on a delicate interplay between visibility, credibility, meaningful experience and real opportunities. Across Africa, many practitioners, mid‑level and senior alike navigate the reality that some gain prominence without deep substance while others build strong knowledge, training and qualifications yet struggle to be seen or access meaningful appointments. This session confronts these dynamics head‑on, examining how practitioners can build authentic reputations, develop niche strengths, and create sustainable career pathways without limiting their growth. Bringing together diverse voices from within the arbitration ecosystem, the discussion analyses what international and African experts identify as effective strategies for elevating one’s standing, how the community can better support collective progress, and what it truly takes to thrive in today’s competitive, evolving practice.

16.15 – 16.30

Discussion with audience

16.30 – 17.15

Session 5: Clicks, Codes and Conflicts: Arbitrating Disputes in the Digital Economy

As Africa’s commercial landscape becomes increasingly digital, businesses are transacting through online platforms, moving data across borders, relying on cloud‑based services and integrating technology into every stage of their operations. These developments are generating new categories of disputes ranging from failures in digital‑commerce systems and platform liability to cross‑border data‑handling issues, cybersecurity incidents and conflicts arising from automated or code‑driven processes. This session examines how arbitration can adapt to the pace and complexity of the digital economy, offering neutral, flexible and future‑ready mechanisms to resolve technology‑related disputes. Panellists will explore emerging risk patterns, regulatory pressures and the practical challenges businesses face when navigating digital transactions across multiple jurisdictions. By analysing real‑world trends and evolving expectations, the discussion highlights how arbitration can support trust, certainty and resilience in an economy increasingly shaped by clicks and code.

17.15 – 17.30

Discussion with audience

17.30 – 17.35

Closing remarks

19.00 – 22.00

10^th Anniversary Gala Dinner

08.00 - 09.00

Registration and Welcome Coffee

09.00 – 09.05

Opening remarks

09.05 – 09.50

Session 1: PPPs, Energy Transition and Infrastructure Disputes: De-risking Africa’s Mega-Projects

As African economies accelerate infrastructure and energy‑transition programmes, disputes linked to project delivery, risk allocation, financing structures and regulatory change are becoming increasingly complex. This session explores the evolving practice of arbitrating PPPs and large‑scale energy and infrastructure projects, including issues arising from construction challenges, changing technical standards, and multi‑party contractual frameworks. Panellists will examine innovative approaches such as updated PPP models, dispute boards and early‑resolution mechanisms that support timely, predictable and resilient project outcomes. The discussion will highlight how states, investors and project partners can design dispute‑resolution processes that reinforce transparency, sustainability and confidence across the lifecycle of Africa’s. mega‑projects.

09.50 - 10.05

Discussion with audience

10.05 – 10.50

Session 2: Geopolitics and International Arbitration: Navigating Risks in a Shifting Global Landscape

Global political shifts are increasingly influencing how international arbitration is conducted, affecting access to services, tribunal appointments, procedural choices and, in some cases, enforcement outcomes. These pressures raise important questions about neutrality, efficiency and party autonomy across borders. As Africa’s role in global energy, minerals and investment continues to expand, the continent is also becoming more exposed to geopolitical dynamics that shape commercial risk and dispute management strategy. This session considers how practitioners and users can anticipate and manage these challenges, ensuring arbitration remains reliable and resilient in an era of heightened geopolitical complexity.

10.50 – 11.05

Discussion with audience

11.05 – 11.30

Coffee Break

11.30 – 12.15

Session 3: Precision and Principle in a Tech‑driven Arbitration Landscape

Session overview: Digital tools are increasingly embedded in arbitral processes across Africa and worldwide, enhancing efficiency, accuracy and access to information. As these technologies evolve, they also sharpen the importance of the principles that underpin international arbitration neutrality, fairness, confidentiality and sound human judgment. This session explores how practitioners and institutions can integrate technological innovation while safeguarding these foundational values. With Africa’s dispute‑resolution ecosystem rapidly modernising, the discussion will offer practical insights on balancing innovation with the integrity of the arbitral process, ensuring arbitration remains effective and trusted in a tech‑driven era

12.15 – 12.30

Discussion with audience

12.30 – 14.00

Lunch

14.00 – 14.40

The Revised ICC Arbitration Rules: What Changes, What Matters, What Comes Next

Session Overview: Following the launch of the revised ICC Arbitration Rules on 1 June 2026, this session will examine how ICC continues to adapt its procedural framework to meet the evolving needs of international arbitration. While maintaining the core features that users rely on, the revised Rules introduce targeted enhancements aimed at improving efficiency, clarity and procedural flexibility. Members of the ICC International Court of Arbitration and Secretariat will provide first-hand perspectives on the key changes and the rationale behind them, as well as their practical implications for parties and tribunals as the updated framework begins to shape arbitration practice globally.

14.40 – 15.10

Discussion with audience

15.10 – 15.50

ICC Mock Court Session: Cost Allocation in International Arbitration

Cost decisions remain one of the most debated aspects of arbitral awards and are often less clearly articulated than findings on jurisdiction, liability or damages. This interactive two-part session begins with a live simulation of the ICC Court scrutinising a draft award addressing costs. It will be followed by a discussion among practitioners on common pitfalls, emerging approaches and best practices for drafting clear and balanced cost decisions in international arbitration.

15.50

Closing remarks

15.30 – 18.30

ICC YAAF Africa Chapter Conference

21.00 – 00.00

ICC YAAF: 10^th Anniversary Dance Party