The ICC Commission on Arbitration met in Singapore on 14 October 2007. This semi-annual meeting held outside ICC’s Paris headquarters marked an important step in the regional development of ICC’s dispute resolution services.

The meeting provided an opportunity for the Commission’s Task Forces to report on work in progress. In addition, recognizing Asia’s growing presence in world trade, there were also keynote presentations by local specialists on arbitration in the region. Singapore’s Honourable Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Law, Professor Jayakumar, spoke on his country’s role in the development of arbitration in the region, while Mr Sumeet Kachwaha, from the Bar Association of the Indian Supreme Court, spoke on arbitration in India, and Mr Jingzhou Tao, member of the ICC International Court of Arbitration, gave a presentation on arbitration in China.

Introducing the meeting, Mr Peter Wolrich, Chair of the Commission said: “This is a significant occasion, since it is the first time in several decades that the Commission on Arbitration is holding a meeting outside of Paris. Doing so, however, reflects the nature of our Commission. We have over 450 members from more than 90 countries and are thus a truly international body. So it is entirely natural for Commission meetings to be held in various parts of the world.”

Commission meetings attract delegates from ICC national committees all over the world. The Asia Pacific region was strongly represented in Singapore, with participants from Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Ms Cheng Yee Khong, the ICC International Court of Arbitration’s Regional Director for Asia, welcomed the decision to hold the meeting in Singapore. “The event has greatly enhanced ICC’s visibility in the region and provided an opportunity for direct exchanges between ICC policy makers and dispute resolution specialists in the region.”