Cairo Branch

2008 Annual Report by Taher Hozayen, Chairman.

The past year engraved another mark of success for the Cairo Branch. The level of branch membership increased by approximately 25 per cent. It is noteworthy that the membership profile of the branch extends beyond its geographical limitation, as it has members from Sudan, Syria and Lebanon.

In June 2008, the branch organised a very successful Entry Course which was attended by around 100 participants from Egypt, Libya, Iraq, Oman, Morocco, Syria, UAE and Saudi Arabia. The agenda included various new tutorial items introducing, for example, practical training on multi-party arbitration.

The organisation of regular Cairo courses provides an excellent opportunity to increase the number of Arab approved tutors from Egypt and other neighbouring countries, a matter that significantly helps in further raising the profile of CIArb in the region.

Dr Mohamed Salah Abdel Wahab, the Vice Chairman of the branch, delivered an extremely interesting lecture entitled "The 'New' New York Convention: A Midsummer Night's Dream or Procrastinated Reality?" The lecture touched upon the salient features of the new proposed draft Convention and discussed whether it responds to practical needs.

Throughout the past year, the branch recorded local needs for training and education in the field of commercial mediation. Accordingly, it started inspecting the market in this regard and exploring possibilities to hold mediation training courses in collaboration with local institutions and international organisations in the field such as the CRCICA Mediation and ADR Centre and the Egyptian ADR Association.

CIArb Cairo Branch lost its establisher Dr Aboul-Enein who died in November 2008 in a car crash. Dr Aboul-Enein established the branch in 1999 and acted as its chairman until 2005 when he joined the CIArb Board of Trustees, where he remained until his untimely death. The branch committee and members shared with the local and Arab legal community the grief of losing the godfather of Arab arbitration who will be much missed. As Manfred Arnold commented, "With Dr. Aboul-Enein's passing, the international arbitration fraternity loses a valuable and highly respected member."

Last Updated: 13 May 2009