About ICSID

ICSID is the world’s leading institution devoted to international investment dispute settlement. It has extensive experience in this field, having administered the majority of all international investment cases. States have agreed on ICSID as a forum for investor-State dispute settlement in most international investment treaties and in numerous investment laws and contracts. Read more

Structure

Signing

Member States

As a Member of ICSID, each State participates in the Administrative Council. Through the Administrative Council, Member States determine the general directions of the organization. 

Secretariat

Secretariat

The ICSID Secretariat carries out the daily operations of ICSID. The Secretariat consists of approximately 70 staff of diverse backgrounds and nationalities. It is led by the Secretary-General, who is the legal representative of ICSID, the registrar of ICSID proceedings, and the principal officer of the Centre.

ICSID and the World Bank Group

ICSID is one of the five organizations of the World Bank Group, along with the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), the International Development Association (IDA), the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA). The goal of the World Bank Group is to end extreme poverty within a generation and to boost shared prosperity.

Each of the five World Bank Group organizations contributes to the overall goal of poverty reduction through its particular work.

ICSID

Provides facilities for conciliation and arbitration of international investment disputes.

IBRD

Lends to governments of middle-income and creditworthy low-income countries.

IDA

Provides interest-free loans, called credits, and grants to governments of the poorest countries.

IFC

Helps developing countries achieve sustainable growth by financing investment, mobilizing capital in international financial markets, and providing advisory services to businesses and governments.

MIGA

Promotes foreign direct investment into developing countries to support economic growth, reduce poverty, and improve people's lives by offering political risk insurance (guarantees) to investors and lenders.

ICSID Convention signing

History of the ICSID Convention

The History of the ICSID Convention is a unique source of preparatory documents concerning the origin and formulation of the ICSID Convention. It contains original texts of reports of committees, records of meetings, working papers, notes, and other documents in the three official languages of ICSID (English, French and Spanish).

ICSID Panel of Arbitrators and of Conciliators

ICSID Panel of Arbitrators and of Conciliators

The ICSID Convention entitles each Member State to designate up to four persons to the Panel of Arbitrators and up to four persons to the Panel of Conciliators (Article 12 to 16 of the ICSID Convention). In addition, the Chairman of the Administrative Council of ICSID may designate up to ten persons to each Panel.

Young ICSID event

Young ICSID

ICSID launched Young ICSID in November 2012. The purpose of Young ICSID is to encourage professional development for young lawyers, and to provide a forum for them to discuss ideas and meet other professionals.