25 February 2021 As we wrap up the end of the ICC MENA Conference on International Arbitration, Faris Shehabi, Managing Associate of Ince, explores specific issues that can arise in periods of economic downturn and the available tools to combat them. In any arbitration, there will be a number of interested actors–the claimant and the respondent (there may be more than one of each); the arbitral tribunal; and, where chosen by the parties, the institution. Each of these actors will have different and sometimes competing

23 February 2021 Hamad Buamim, Chair of the International Chamber of Commerce’s (ICC) World Chambers Federation (WCF) has officially launched the World Chambers Competition. The 2021 edition of the Competition will recognise chambers of commerce around the world that are striving to keep their business communities functioning even in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Watch the video The sudden coronavirus outbreak led to unprecedented disruption and hardship for many businesses across the world, particularly small- and medium-sized enterprises. However, chambers of commerce globally have

19 February 2021 Calling for global action plan to beat the pandemic, ICC, the institutional representative of over 45 million businesses – has issued a statement following the conclusion of the G7 leaders’ summit. ICC Secretary General John W.H. Denton AO said: “G7 leaders have sent a very welcome signal today of their intent to correct the failings in international cooperation that have blighted the response to Covid-19 over the past year. But warm words alone won’t mitigate the severe downside risk posed to the

17 February 2021 Air France has announced a pilot of ICC AOKpass, to improve its customers’ experience and streamline the airport journey. The four-week test will begin on 11 March 2021 on all Air France flights from Paris-CDG to Pointe-à-Pitre (Guadeloupe) and Fort-de-France (Martinique). It will be done on a voluntary basis, in order to test the operation of the application in real conditions and to collect opinions of test clients. Air France will share the feedback with other companies in the Skyteam alliance currently

12 February 2021 New Zealand’s University of Auckland took victory in the 16th edition of the ICC International Commercial Mediation Competition in an all-woman final against Bulgaria’s University of Sofia. The University of New South Wales, Australia took third place, followed by the Brooklyn Law School from the United States in fourth. Watch the final mock mediation The fictitious final dispute between a small textile manufacturer and a distribution company specialising in products for tourists was based on a real-world case and written by Competition

6 February 2021 Following the announcement that the US has given its formal backing to Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to lead the World Trade Organization, ICC has issued the following statement. ICC Secretary General John W.H. Denton AO said: “The global business community will be delighted to learn that the US Administration has given its backing to Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to take up the position of World Trade Organization Director General. Dr Okonjo-Iweala’s skills and experience make her, without doubt, the ideal candidate to drive concerted