CIArb Nigeria Sets to Host over 600 Delegates from 12 Countries, at its 2019 Annual Conference
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The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb), Nigeria Branch will hold its 2019 Annual International Conference in Lagos, between November 7 and 8 at the Landmark Events Centre, Victoria Island.
According to CIArb Nigeria Branch Chairman, Mr. Olatunde Busari, SAN, over 600 delegates from 12 countries and 5 continents of the world are expected to attend the conference with the theme, ‘Positioning Africa: The Changing Landscape in Alternative Dispute Resolution’.
Busari, who disclosed this last week at a press briefing to herald the forthcoming event, said the Conference would provide the opportunity to showcase Nigeria to the world, as a friendly ADR and Arbitration destination.
He however, urged arbitration practitioners to contribute their quota towards portraying Nigeria as an arbitration friendly destination, to attract more foreign direct investments.
According to Busari, who is also a Chartered Arbitrator, if Nigeria has a viable dispute resolution mechanism and an organisation promoting arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), it will no doubt attract more investors, and foreign direct investment will improve.
"We believe that activities like this, will make Nigeria more economically viable to investors.
"We are expecting practitioners, not only from Nigeria, but all over the world, to share their knowledge of arbitration procedures at the Conference.
"It will also afford us the opportunity to discuss, identify challenges, and proffer ways of advancing arbitration in Africa, in terms of standard of services and support for infrastructural development", he added.
Also speaking at the press briefing, Chairman, Conference Planning Committee, Dr. Wale Olawoyin, SAN, noted that, issues contemporary to the African continent, like the African Continental Free Trade Agreement and the Singapore Convention on the enforcement of cross border settlement, would be discussed at the Conference.
"Arbitration is now focusing on specialisation, therefore, issues on Sports Arbitration, Islamic Finance Arbitration, and Energy Arbitration would be dealt with, to enable the world understand what they entail.
"We will look at ethics in ADR generally, and the intercept between culture and professionalism", he added.
Other Chartered Arbitrators present at the press briefing, were Chief Gbola Akinola, First Vice Chairman CIArb, Nigeria Branch, Mrs. Sola Adegbonmire, Second Vice Chairman CIArb, and Mrs. Chinelo Agbala, General Manager, CIArb, Nigeria Branch.