UNCITRAL: United Nations Commission on International Trade Law

🌍 A new milestone for international trade law: The Accra Convention will open for signature very soon! 🌍 The United Nations Convention on Negotiable Cargo Documents (the “Accra Convention on Negotiable Cargo Documents”) will open for signature in Accra, Ghana.  📅 Monday, 26 October 2026   📍 Accra, Ghana  Adopted by the #UnitedNations General Assembly on 15 December 2025, the Convention establishes a uniform legal framework governing the issuance and use of negotiable cargo documents (#NCDs), in paper or electronic form, representing goods in transit regardless of the mode of transport.   The signing ceremony will be followed by a symposium marking the 60th anniversary of UNCITRAL, featuring sessions on digital trade and trade finance, trade facilitation and regional integration, and six decades of harmonizing international trade law. Representatives from World Customs Organization, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, International Chamber of Commerce, FIATA International Federation of Freight Forwarders Associations, Regional Maritime University, Ghana Shippers' Authority are expected to join the discussions.   The Convention will enter into force 180 days after the date of the deposit of the tenth instrument of ratification, acceptance, approval or accession.  🤔 Which 10 countries do you think will be the first to sign the Convention? Share your predictions in the comments!  Our sincere thanks to the Government of Ghana for hosting the ceremony. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, Ghana’s Trade Minister and the host-government principal │ Matilda Aku Alomatu Osei-Agyeman, Ghana’s Ambassador in Vienna │ Gifty A. Botwe, PMP® │ Michael Imran Kanu, SJD │ Melaku Geboye Desta, for African trade policy and integration │ Pamela Mar, ICC Digital Standards Initiative │ Dr Emmanuel Kofi Mbiah │ Anna Joubin-Bret │ Yanying Li │ Zelin Hao │ Annah Cocker #UNCITRAL #UNCITRAL60 #AccraConvention #NegotiableCargoDocuments #DigitalTrade #TradeFacilitation #AfCFTA

🎉 Celebrating 60 years of UNCITRAL! Explore six decades of UNCITRAL’s contribution to the harmonization and modernization of international trade law. 📍 Visit the poster exhibition at United Nations Headquarters in New York to discover key milestones, achievements and ongoing initiatives that support a harmonized and effective legal framework for cross-border trade. The poster exhibition will also be featured as part of the culminating event marking UNCITRAL’s 60th anniversary on 📅 17 December 2026, at the Rotunda of the Vienna International Centre. #UNCITRAL60 #InternationalTradeLaw #UNCITRAL #OLA #ITLD Anna Joubin-Bret

يسر أمانة الأونسيترال أن تدعوكم إلى الندوة العلمية التي تنظمها كليات عنيزة بالتعاون مع الأونسيترال والمركز السعودي للتنافسية والأعمال بعنوان "الجزاءات التعاقدية في اتفاقية الأمم المتحدة بشأن عقود البيع الدولي للبضائع (CISG) ونظام المعاملات المدنية السعودي" والتي تهدف إلى تعزيز المعرفة بأحكام اتفاقية البيع الدولي للبضائع ذات الصلة بالجزاءات التعاقدية، وبيان أوجه التقارب والاختلاف بين أحكام الإتفاقية ونظام المعاملات المدنية السعودي. 📅 تأتي هذه الندوة العلمية ضمن أنشطة أيام الأونسيترال في الدول العربية 2026، حيث ستعقد في تاريخ 2 نوفمبر 2026 عبر منصة Microsoft Teams. ⬅️ للتسجيل ولمزيد من المعلومات، يرجى زيارة الرابط التالي: https://lnkd.in/d2fAmQQN

📍The 55th session of UNCITRAL Working Group III (ISDS Reform) concluded in Vienna today. Through constructive and substantive discussions, the WG made significant progress with respect to the consideration of the remaining draft provisions on procedural and cross-cutting issues. The secretariat extends its sincere appreciation to all delegations, observers and participants for their engagement and valuable contributions throughout the session. We also warmly thank the organizers and speakers at the numerous side events held during the week. WG III’s 56th session will take place in Vienna on 11-15 January 2027 and will consider revised draft statutes of the permanent tribunal for international investment disputes and the permanent appellate tribunal for international investment disputes. 📄 Session documents and related materials are available on the UNCITRAL WG III website at: https://lnkd.in/drCef-2   #UNCITRAL #WGIII #ISDSReform

La secretaría de la CNUDMI expresa su más profundo pesar por el fallecimiento del Dr. Jean Michel Arrighi, Secretario de Asuntos Jurídicos de la OAS. A lo largo de los años, tuvimos el privilegio de construir una sólida relación de cooperación entre nuestras instituciones en favor de la armonización y el desarrollo del derecho mercantil internacional en América Latina y el Caribe. La participación activa de la Secretaría de la OEA en las sesiones de trabajo de la CNUDMI sobre diversos temas de interés común, así como en las actividades de sensibilización y promoción desarrolladas en la región, han contribuido de manera significativa al fortalecimiento de nuestros lazos institucionales. El compromiso personal del Dr. Arrighi con la modernización, el fortalecimiento y el desarrollo del derecho internacional en la región es un ejemplo de dedicación y visión. Su labor dejó una huella profunda y un valioso legado que continuará inspirando a las generaciones futuras de juristas y servidores públicos. En estos momentos de dolor transmitimos nuestras más sentidas condolencias a familia, amigos y seres queridos del Dr. Arrighi, así como a la Secretaría de la OEA, a sus colegas y colaboradores. Confiamos en que el recuerdo de sus contribuciones y el impacto de su trabajo sirvan de consuelo y permanezcan como testimonio de una vida dedicada al servicio público y a la promoción del derecho internacional. https://lnkd.in/d49P4ZK7

Held alongside the 55th session of UNCITRAL Working Group III (ISDS Reform), ArbitralWomen organized the side event, “Preventing Disputes Before They Arise: Institutional Initiatives and Cross-Cutting Issues in ISDS Reform.” The discussion explored practical approaches to dispute prevention and investment mediation, drawing on UNCITRAL’s ongoing work in these areas, including by referencing the UNCITRAL Toolkit on Prevention and Mitigation of International Investment Disputes (2025). Speakers examined how States and institutions can operationalize mediation frameworks and discussed broader reform topics, including investor conduct, enforcement of mediated settlements and the recent developments in treaty practice. The conversation highlighted the value of preventative mechanisms and early dispute resolution tools in reducing the likelihood of disputes escalating into formal arbitration. The discussion also referenced a recently published article in the OGEL Energy Law / Transnational Dispute Management (TDM) Special Issue on “Dispute Prevention in ISDS: Comparative Approaches, Institutional Innovations, and Digital Tools,, entitled “The UNCITRAL Toolkit on Prevention and Mitigation of International Investment Disputes: A Case for Advancing Transparency in ISDS”, by Marianela Bruno, Corentin Baslé and Nikola Kovacikova → https://lnkd.in/eGEZkBmd. The event was moderated by Dr. Yulia Levashova MCIArb (Nyenrode Business University; Asia Pacific FDI Network) and featured contributions from: 🔹 Anna Joubin-Bret, Secretary of UNCITRAL  🔹 Ella Rosenberg, Senior Legal Counsel, ICSID  🔹 Prof. Kamalia Mehtiyeva, University Paris-Est Créteil; Member, ICC International Court of Arbitration  🔹 Agata Zwolankiewicz, PhD Candidate, KU Leuven; Senior Associate, Addleshaw Goddard Poland 📘 UNCITRAL Toolkit on Prevention and Mitigation of International Investment Disputes (2025) is available at: https://lnkd.in/dZvzZeXY #UNCITRAL #ISDS #ISDSReform #DisputePrevention #InvestmentMediation #Mediation #WorkingGroupIII #ArbitralWomen

Please join #UNCITRAL at the Seoul ADR Festival (26–30 October 2026) 🎉👏 where Principal Legal Officer Jae Sung Lee will participate in two key sessions. On Wednesday, 28 October (09:00–18:30), Mr. Lee will deliver opening and congratulatory remarks at the 2026 Seoul ADR Conference, “Mapping the Modern Architecture of International Arbitration,” held at the Josun Palace Hotel (📍3F The Great Hall). On Thursday, 29 October (12:30–14:30), at the hybrid session “From Treaty Design to Dispute Practice: What UNCITRAL’s Proposed Permanent and Appellate Tribunals Could Mean for ISDS” hosted by the Ministry of Justice, Republic of Korea at KCAB International (📍37F Trade Tower and online), Mr. Lee will discuss the structure, statutes and scope of the two tribunals and ongoing considerations in Working Group III. Our sincere thanks to KCAB International, the Ministry of Justice, Republic of Korea, and the ICC for co-hosting the various events. 👉 Registration and programme: https://lnkd.in/g9dgSwMR #UNCITRAL #SAF2026 #ISDSreform #Arbitration #ADR

As a side event to the 55th session of Working Group III (ISDS Reform), the Ministry of Justice, Republic of Korea organized a panel entitled “Counterclaims in ISDS Reform: Scope, Limits and Drafting Choices”. The discussion explored the scope and limitations of counterclaims under Draft Provision 10 (as set out in A/CN.9/WG.III/WP.267; available at: https://lnkd.in/d2AG59tS), with particular focus on issues of consent, the nexus required between a claim and a counterclaim, and the substantive basis for counterclaims. It also examined how Draft Provision 10 interacts with other draft provisions. Secretary of UNCITRAL Anna Joubin-Bret gave opening remarks, Prof. @Jaemin Lee (Seoul National University School of Law) moderated the panel, and speakers included Dr. Junyeul Alex Yang (Ministry of Justice, Republic of Korea), Mathieu RAUX (Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, France), Prof. Eric De Brabandere (Leiden University), and Ms. Thi Van Anh Lai (Ministry of Justice of Vietnam). #UNCITRAL #ISDSReform #UNCITRALWGIII

I’m looking forward to attending the October session of UNCITRAL: United Nations Commission on International Trade Law Working Group III on ISDS Reform (12 -16 October) in Vienna as a delegate representing ArbitralWomen. Alongside the session, I’m organizing a side event : Preventing Disputes Before They Arise: Institutional Initiatives and Cross-Cutting Issues in ISDS Reform 📍 Vienna International Centre, Austria; October 14 | 12:40–13:40 How can ISDS reform help prevent disputes, not just improve the way we resolve them?This question will guide our discussion of mediation, dispute-prevention mechanisms, counterclaims, and treaty design. We’ll explore how institutions and States can put mediation frameworks into practice, drawing on the ICSID Mediation Rules and UNCITRAL’s work on investment mediation and dispute prevention. We’ll also consider the broader reform questions: investor conduct, the enforcement of mediated settlements, the Singapore Convention on Mediation, and recent treaty practices in the EU and beyond. I’m delighted to moderate the discussion to be joined by: 🔹 Anna Joubin-Bret — Secretary of UNCITRAL 🔹 Ella Rosenberg — Senior Legal Counsel, International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) 🔹 Kamalia Mehtiyeva — Professor of Law, University Paris-Est Créteil; Member of the ICC International Court of Arbitration 🔹 Agata Zwolankiewicz  — PhD candidate researching dispute prevention, KU Leuven; Senior Associate, Addleshaw Goddard Poland Many thanks to our speakers for making time during a busy session and to the secretariat of UNCITRAL for support. To colleagues attending Working Group III: it would be wonderful to see you there and hear your perspectives. #ISDS #InvestmentArbitration #DisputePrevention #Mediation #UNCITRAL #SingaporeConvention #ArbitralWomen

As a side event to the 55th session of Working Group III (ISDS Reform), the Permanent Mission of China and the International Organization for Mediation (IOMed) organized a panel discussion entitled “VIC Chat on Mediation: A Challenge or a Viable Alternative for States?”. Moderated by Anna Joubin-Bret, Secretary of UNCITRAL, the panel considered how UNCITRAL texts such as the United Nations Convention on International Settlement Agreements Resulting from Mediation and the UNCITRAL Guidelines on Mediation for International Investment Disputes contribute to a culture of mediation and discussed where mediation is headed in investor-State and State-to-State disputes. Speakers included H.E. Amb. Li Song (China), Prof. @Teresa Cheng (IOMed), H.E. Amb. Matilda Aku Alomatu Osei-Agyeman (Ghana), H.E. Amb. Edwin Afande (Kenya) and Mr. SIDDHARTH CHATTERJEE 常启德 (CEO of Global Neighbours, former UN Resident Coordinator in China). #UNCITRAL #ISDSReform #UNCITRALWGIII #Mediation