​On March 18, 1965, the Convention on the Settlement of Investment Disputes between States and Nationals of Other States (ICSID Convention) was submitted for consideration by member governments of the World Bank. The Convention entered into force on October 14, 1966 after signature and ratification by 20 countries. Today, 150 States have ratified the ICSID Convention and a further 9 States have signed the Convention. In its five decades of operation, ICSID has become the world’s leading facility for the resolution of disputes between States and foreign investors.

The Chairman of the ICSID Administrative Council and President of the World Bank, Dr. Jim Yong Kim, today acknowledged the important role of the ICSID Convention and the ICSID Secretariat in a video address to mark ICSID’s 50th anniversary. Dr. Kim noted ICSID’s contribution to promoting cooperation between governments and the private sector by offering an impartial forum for dispute resolution. Dr. Kim also highlighted ICSID’s contribution to achieving the World Bank Group’s twin goals of ending extreme poverty by 2030 and boosting shared prosperity.

ICSID will celebrate this important milestone with a series of conferences and publications between now and October 2016. These initiatives will focus on international investment dispute settlement in the next 50 years and how the system can best meet the needs of investors and host States. Details about upcoming events will be posted on the events section of this website and ICSID welcomes your participation in these events.