21 May 2014

PCA holds hearing in Mauritius

The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) has concluded a two-day hearing in the Republic of Mauritius in an arbitration between an African company and an African State. The hearing marks the first occasion on which the PCA has held hearings in Mauritius under the 2009 PCA-Mauritius Host Country Agreement.

(Arbitrators Mr. Karel Daele, Mr. Richard Omwela, and Mr. Philippe Pinsolle, with PCA Legal Counsel and outgoing PCA Representative in Mauritius Ms. Fedelma Claire Smith)

(Arbitrators Mr. Karel Daele, Mr. Richard Omwela, and Mr. Philippe Pinsolle, with PCA Legal Counsel and outgoing PCA Representative in Mauritius Ms. Fedelma Claire Smith)

The arbitration, for which the PCA acts as registry, is conducted pursuant to an international contract. The tribunal is composed of Mr. Karel Daele, Mr. Richard Omwela and Mr. Philippe Pinsolle.

While the PCA’s headquarters at the Peace Palace in The Hague, the Netherlands, are available for meetings and hearings in PCA proceedings, the PCA has also concluded host country agreements or cooperation agreements to facilitate the conduct of meetings and hearings in Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, India, Hong Kong, Mauritius, Singapore, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates.

The PCA-Mauritius host country agreement further provides for a PCA office in Mauritius in order to assist with the discharge of its functions under the Mauritian International Arbitration Act 2008 and with the promotion of the pacific settlement of international disputes in and with respect to the region. The PCA opened its Mauritius office in September 2010.

The PCA is currently administering 97 pending cases, 18 of which involve one or several parties from Africa.