March 17, 2022: ICSID is pleased to announce that it has entered into an Agreement on General Arrangements with Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM). The agreement was signed on behalf of ICSID by Meg Kinnear, Secretary-General of ICSID, and on behalf of ADGM by Linda Fitz-Alan, Registrar and Chief Executive of ADGM Courts.

The agreement was signed during a joint ICSID-ADGM conference in Abu Dhabi on the theme of investment arbitration in the Middle East. 

The Agreement is based on Article 63 of the ICSID Convention and provides for the possibility of holding ICSID hearings at ADGM’s facilities, reinforcing ICSID's truly global presence and services. The Agreement also encourages knowledge sharing between ICSID and the ADGM related to arbitration, conciliation, mediation, and other methods of dispute resolution.

“It has been a pleasure to visit ADGM’s world-class facilities in Abu Dhabi and I look forward to making them available to parties and tribunals in ICSID proceedings,” said Ms. Kinnear. “It is also a privilege to mark the occasion with a conference that has convened so many leading arbitrators and practitioners from across the Middle East and globally. I am sure this is the first of many collaborations between ICSID and ADGM.”

“We are delighted to partner with ICSID and support them as they bring their world-class services to Abu Dhabi,” said Ms. Fitz-Alan. “The ADGM Arbitration Centre and ICSID will benefit from a rich exchange of knowledge related to all methods of dispute resolution. Our state-of-the-art Arbitration Centre with its strategic location mid-way between east and west is the perfect venue to support parties in their ICSID proceedings. I am thrilled that we were able to sign the Agreement at the conference with ICSID today and I look forward to our collaboration well into the future.”