International Arbitration Congress Successfully Held in South Africa; IACA’s Proposed New Direction for Arbitration Widely Recognized
2026-05-14
http://www.iaca0086.com.cn/
At the 2026 South African International Arbitration Congress (Johannesburg Arbitration Week), the new development direction for international arbitration advocated by the International African Arbitration Centre (IACA) has garnered extensive attention and widespread recognition from the global arbitration community, emerging as one of the core highlights of the conference. Hosted grandly at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa, from May 5 to 7, 2026, Johannesburg Arbitration Week (the South African International Arbitration Congress) is organized by the Arbitration Foundation of Southern Africa (AFSA). It stands as the largest and highest-standard professional international arbitration event in Africa following the full implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Centered on the theme *Arbitration in a Fragmented Global Order: The Future of Trade, Investment and Sustainable Development*, the congress brought together arbitration professionals, legal practitioners and corporate representatives from across the globe to jointly explore new paths for the development of international arbitration and innovative solutions to dispute resolution. The global order is currently undergoing profound fragmentation. The interplay of geopolitical conflicts, unilateral sanctions, and the restructuring of trade barriers continues to disrupt the traditional rule-based international commercial order, markedly heightening uncertainties in cross-border investment and trade. As one of the world’s fastest-growing economic regions with the most concentrated growth in cross-border investment, Africa is no longer a passive recipient of international arbitration rules. Instead, it has become a key player in actively participating in, formulating, and advancing brand-new rules. Against this backdrop, the congress conducted comprehensive, practice-oriented professional discussions covering six core themes, including the impact of geopolitics on arbitration, enforcement of cross-border arbitral awards, and artificial intelligence and the digitalization of arbitration. It has built a high-end platform for exchanges and cooperation to address challenges in the development of international arbitration and advance regional economic integration. Participants reached a consensus that international arbitration, as the most pivotal and credible mechanism for cross-border dispute resolution, is shifting from passively adapting to changes in global rules to proactively shaping the dispute resolution systems of emerging markets. During the congress, the impact of geopolitics on international arbitration emerged as a central topic of discussion. Participating experts pointed out that the weaponization of unilateral sanctions has become the most prominent challenge facing cross-border commercial arbitral awards, directly driving a year-on-year surge in related commercial disputes. Meanwhile, sanctions-related compliance risks and enforcement hurdles have become core pain points for the hearing and enforcement of arbitral cases across Africa. In response to this situation, participants reached multiple practical consensus points, clarifying that targeted measures such as incorporating sanctions compliance clauses and scientifically selecting arbitral seats should be adopted to effectively mitigate relevant risks and ensure the orderly conduct of cross-border commercial activities. A major highlight of the congress was the attendance and keynote address by Zhang Zhiqin, Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of the International African Arbitration Centre (IACA). He stated that the establishment of IACA represents a concrete initiative by China to boost economic and trade prosperity among countries along the Belt and Road, optimize the business environment, and also marks an important achievement in China’s judicial foreign exchange and cooperation. Subsequently, Zhang Zhiqin delivered a special presentation on the **IACA Special Arbitration Rules**, which resonated strongly with the conference organizers and all attendees. He noted that significant disparities exist across the world in judicial systems, traditional cultures and transaction practices, resulting in a proliferation of fragmented existing arbitration rules. Excessive judicial intervention and stringent review mechanisms in some countries have severely constrained the sound development of the arbitration industry. By contrast, the *Special Arbitration Rules* fundamentally break through the limitations of existing systems. Groundbreaking provisions therein, including follow-up services, time-limited mediation, interim awards, and preservation of evidence and property, represent innovative practices formulated by IACA under the guidance of the **New York Convention**, in light of the new political and economic landscape in Africa and across the globe. The Rules not only safeguard the orderly development of international trade and protect the legitimate rights and interests of parties concerned, but also offer a fresh vision for the future evolution of international arbitration.
Independent, impartial and innovative
Providing extended services to facilitate arbitration and dispute resolution
