Publish time: Sun Feb 12 23:25:19 CST 2017
Between January 12 and January 22, 2017, Mr. Zhang Haoliang, Director of the Beijing Arbitration Commission / Beijing International Arbitration Center (the “BAC”) joined the delegation of the China Law Society and visited Benin, Kenya and Cameroon as exchange visitors. This trip is for the purpose of promoting cooperation between China and the three African states on arbitration system, legal research and training.
During the visit of the Nairobi Centre for International Arbitration (the “NCIA”) of Kenya, Mr. Zhang presented an introduction of the BAC, its development targets and arbitration experience to the President, the Secretary General and management of the NCIA. Meanwhile, he proposed sincere cooperation between the BAC and the NCIA, since Beijing and Nairobi are capital cities of China and Kenya, respectively, and so a cooperation conducted by the BAC and the NCIA will benefit from the significant economic status and active business exchange of the two cities within Asia and Africa and will promote the joint development of China and Kenya in arbitration and ADR mechanisms, providing parties from both countries with more convenient, qualified and efficient dispute resolution services, clearing the parties’ concerns in this respect, and furthering the economic ties between Chinese and Kenyan companies. The NCIA made an introduction of its history and status quo to the delegation, and delivered their willingness to work with the BAC, so as to meet the requirement for dispute resolution services of both Chinese and Kenyan parties. Thereafter, both parties reached a consensus on mutual cooperation, and conducted an in-depth discussion and negotiation thereon.
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| Visit to NCIA | Visit to OHADA headquarter |
During the visit to the Organisation pour l'Harmonisation en Afrique du Droit des Affaires (the “OHADA”) in Cameroon, Mr. Zhang had an exchange and discussion with the management of the OHADA on behalf of the BAC. The OHADA was founded on October 17 1993 based on the Traité relatif à l'Harmonisation du Droit des Affaires en Afrique adopted by 14 African states in Port Louis, Mauritius, with the purpose of the harmonization of business laws of its member states and the promotion of arbitration for commercial dispute resolution. There are currently 17 member states of OHADA. So far the organization has passed 9 uniform acts including the Act on Arbitration. Therefore, the exchanges between the host and the guest focused on research and cooperation of arbitration. Both parties agreed that arbitration is a tie between the BAC and the OHADA on legal research and application, and the pioneering step on contact and cooperation could be taken within the arbitration sector, which will be helpful for both parties to deepen mutual understanding and to lay the foundation for future comprehensive cooperation. The delegation also paid visits to the regional advanced judicial school set up by the OHADA in Benin. The school is primarily responsible for improving the legal environment of OHADA member states, providing trainings for judges, lawyers, notary publics, legal experts and clerks relating to the OHADA legal expertise. The principal of the school invited the BAC to share its arbitration experience and to conduct arbitration related research and cooperation jointly with the school.
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| Visit to OHADA regional advanced judicial school | Visit to Chinese Embassy in Kenya |
Apart from the above, Mr. Zhang also, along with the delegation, visited the Supreme Court of Benin, the Arbitration and Mediation Center of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Benin, Universitaire d'Abomey-Calavi as well as the Benin’s Lord Chancellor and Minister of Justice and Legislation during their stay in Benin, the Chinese Embassy in Kenya and the Law School of the Strathmore University of Kenya during their stay in Kenya, and the Cameroon Bar Association and the University of Yaounde II during their stay in Cameroon.