IAC Online Central Asia Vis-Arbitration Moot Final 2021 Held

The IAC partnered with the Association for the Organisation and Promotion of the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot, which is the most prestigious international arbitration moot in the world.  This was the first time the competition was held in Central Asia.

The Vis Moot aims to promote the study of international commercial law and arbitration for resolution of international business disputes through application of a practical legal problem and develop future lawyers in arbitration practice.  The legal problem in this year’s competition involved an international sale of goods subject to the United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of Goods (CISG).  

The IAC Chairman, Barbara Dohmann QC, and two IAC Arbitrator Panel members, Mr. Alexander Korobienikov (Baker McKenzie) and Dr. Ilya Rachkov (Nektorov, Saveliev & Partners) were the arbitrators in the Final. The two finalist teams were the National Law University Delhi (India) and Moscow State Institute of International Relations (Russia).  The finalist teams were the two highest performing teams from the preliminary rounds which were held online during 9-10 February 2021. Mr. Philip Alex representing the National Law University Delhi was named as the best speaker of the Moot Final.

Twenty-two teams from seventeen countries participated in the competition preliminary rounds, including universities from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Russia, Poland, Ukraine, Turkey, Czech Republic, USA, China, Singapore, Indonesia, India, France, Germany, Austria, Brazil, and Guatemala. The competition was held online using the same video technology that is used for real AIFC Court and IAC case hearings.

The competition was held as a part of the AIFC Court and IAC Legal Education Programme 2021.  The standard of the teams was world class and all participating students received comprehensive personal feedback on their individual performances from leading arbitrators and partners of law firms from Kazakhstan, Russia, Uzbekistan, and the UK.

Mr. Christopher Campbell-Holt, the Registrar and Chief Executive of the AIFC Court and IAC, commented:  

“We are delighted that our Online IAC Central Asia Moot 2021 has proven to be so popular amongst the best law schools and universities in Kazakhstan, throughout the Central Asia region and globally. This year the best law schools from 17 countries participated in our competition.  The competition provides a unique opportunity for law students to practice written and oral advocacy in the presence of the IAC’s Chairman, Barbara Dohmann QC, and other world class arbitrators from the IAC Arbitrator Panel.  The IAC is committed to supporting the development of young lawyers in Kazakhstan, regionally and globally, and to proving world class alternative dispute resolution services as the number one choice for commercial dispute resolution in Central Asia.”

Reference:

The Astana International Financial Centre was created by the initiative of the First President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Leader of the Nation, Nur-Sultan Nazarbayev as part of the “100 steps to implement five institutional reforms” national program. The Centre’s development strategy until 2025 was approved by the Management Council of the AIFC during the Council’s meeting on July 2, 2020. In accordance with the strategy, the vision of the AIFC is to become the leading financial centre in the region that includes Central Asia, the Caucasus, EAEU countries, western China, Mongolia, and Eastern Europe. The mission of the AIFC is to assist the sustainable and long-term development of the region. As the head of state, President Tokayev noted, “AIFC, with its unique opportunities, can act as a universal platform that connects the countries in the region”. The strategic directions for the sustainable development of the AIFC include the development of a circular economy, financial technologies, and “digital financial centre”. https://aifc.kz/

The International Arbitration Centre (IAC) is an independent legal entity. It has its own procedural rules modelled on best international practice. It has its own panel of leading international arbitrators and mediators who have many years of arbitration and mediation experience in commercial law, including oil and gas, trade, construction, energy, financial services, banking, Islamic finance, insurance, and intellectual property. IAC arbitration awards are recognised and enforceable in Kazakhstan and internationally. https://iac.aifc.kz/