The AALCO Annual Arbitration Forum 2025 (AAAF 2025), hosted by the Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC) in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, concluded with resounding success from 20-21 February 2025.
Supported by AALCO Hong Kong Regional Arbitration Centre (AALCO-HKRAC), the forum brought together leaders from AALCO member states for transformative dialogues on advancing alternative dispute resolution (ADR) mechanisms to foster a resilient future for Asia and Africa.
Moderated by H.E. Dr. Kamalinne Pinitpuvadol, Secretary-General of AALCO, the panel “Regional Alliance Leadership: Strengthening ADR in Asia and Africa” featured insights from Mr Nick Chan, Director of AALCO-HKRAC, Datuk Alamalena Sharmila Johan, CEO of AIAC, Mr. Wilfred Ikatari, Director of Regional Centre for International Commercial Organization-Lagos and Ms. Joy Maina, Case Manager, Nairobi Centre for International Arbitration. Discussions centred on AALCO’s pivotal role in promoting arbitration, mediation, and other ADR methods across the regions, as well as the critical importance of ADR in resolving cross-border disputes among AALCO’s 49 member states.
The six AALCO dispute resolution centres reaffirmed their commitment to collaboration, pledging to offer fair, independent, and efficient dispute resolution services to stakeholders worldwide.
AALCO is an inter-governmental organization that was founded in 1956 and now with 49 member states comprising of the major states from Asia and Africa. Pursuant to the Integrated Scheme for Settlement of Disputes in the Economic and Commercial Transactions in 1978, AALCO was decided to establish regional arbitration centres under the auspices of AALCO, which would function as international institutions with the objectives to promote international commercial arbitration in the Asian-African regions and provide for conducting international arbitrations under these centres. Apart from Hong Kong, the other five centres are located in Cairo (Arab Republic of Egypt), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Lagos (Nigeria), Tehran (Islamic Republic of Iran) and Nairobi (Kenya). Each centre is established by international law, and the respective hosts Governments recognize their independent status like an international organization and have accorded privileges and immunities to these centres.
