Case Details

Joseph Houben v. Republic of Burundi (ICSID Case No. ARB/13/7)

Subject of Dispute:

Real estate project
Economic Sector:

Other Industry
Instrument(s) Invoked:

BIT Belgium-Luxembourg - Burundi 1989
Applicable Rules:

ICSID Convention - Arbitration Rules

(a) Original Proceeding

Claimant(s)/Nationality(ies):

Joseph Houben (Belgian)
Respondent(s):

Republic of Burundi (Burundi)
Date Registered:

May 20, 2013
Date of Constitution of Tribunal:

October 18, 2013

Composition of Tribunal

President:

Gilbert GUILLAUME (French) - Appointed by the Parties
Arbitrators:

Yas BANIFATEMI (French, Iranian) - Appointed by the Claimant(s)
Brigitte STERN (French) - Appointed by the Respondent(s)

Party Representatives

Claimant(s):

Cabinet de Maître Michel Lion, Brussels, Belgium
Cabinet de Maître Sylvestre Banzubaze, Bujumbura, Burundi
VVGB ALTRA Avocats, Brussels, Belgium
Respondent(s):

Cabinet de Maître Sixte Sizimwe Kazirukanyo, Bujumbura, Burundi
Liedekerke, Wolters, Waelbroeck, Kirkpatrick, Brussels, Belgium
Ministère de la Justice et Garde des Sceaux, Bujumbura, Burundi
Language(s) of Proceeding:

French
Status of Proceeding:

Concluded
Outcome of Proceeding:

January 12, 2016 - The Tribunal renders its award.

(a) Original Proceeding

Published Decisions

Award of the Tribunal

Available on the ICSID Website

Award of the Tribunal (January 12, 2016) French (Original)

(a) Original Proceeding

Date	Development
May 20, 2013	The Secretary-General registers a request for the institution of arbitration proceedings.
June 26, 2013	Following appointment by the Claimant , Yas Banifatemi (French/Iranian) accepts her appointment as arbitrator.
July 7, 2013	Following appointment by the Respondent, Brigitte Stern (French) accepts her appointment as arbitrator.
October 18, 2013	Following appointment by the parties, Gilbert Guillaume (French) accepts his appointment as presiding arbitrator. The Tribunal is constituted in accordance with Article 37(2)(a) of the ICSID Convention. Its members are: Gilbert Guillaume (French), President, appointed by the parties; Yas Banifatemi (French/Iranian), appointed by the Claimant; and Brigitte Stern (French), appointed by the Respondent.
November 29, 2013	The Tribunal holds a first session in Paris.
December 20, 2013	The Tribunal issues Procedural Order No. 1 concerning procedural matters.
January 29, 2014	The Claimant files a memorial on the merits.
April 29, 2014	The Respondent files a counter-memorial on the merits, objections to jurisdiction and a request to address the objections to jurisdiction as a preliminary question.
May 26, 2014	The Claimant files observations on the request to address the objections to jurisdiction as a preliminary question.
June 12, 2014	The Tribunal issues a procedural order concerning the Respondent’s request to address the objections to jurisdiction as a preliminary question.
August 1, 2014	The Claimant files a reply on the merits and a counter-memorial on jurisdiction.
October 8, 2014	The Respondent files a rejoinder on the merits and a reply on jurisdiction.
November 24, 2014	The Claimant files a rejoinder on jurisdiction.
January 6, 2015 - January 7, 2015	The Tribunal holds a hearing on jurisdiction and the merits in Paris.
November 26, 2015	The Tribunal declares the proceeding closed in accordance with ICSID Arbitration Rule 38(1).
December 10, 2015	Each party files a statement of costs.
January 12, 2016	The Tribunal renders its award.