International Commercial Arbitration in Tonga

Anthony Lo Surdo SC has been retained by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to provide training to lawyers and to the private sector in Tonga on 19 & 20 September 2017 on international commercial arbitration as part of its technical assistance program (TAP) aimed at establishing an effective commercial dispute resolution regime through international arbitration reform to boost foreign investor confidence in the Pacific Developing Member Countries (DMC) of the ADB.

The objectives of the TAP are to assist selected Pacific DMCs in acceding to the Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards (New York, 1958) (NY Convention); (ii) drafting new or updated arbitration law to implement the NY Convention and reflect modern international commercial arbitration standards, accounting for the country context; and (iii) strengthening the capacity for international arbitration reforms through regional awareness-building and dissemination workshops, tailored training programs for lawyers, arbitrators, and judges in international commercial arbitration and recognition and enforcement proceedings under the NY Convention, and helping to establish a regional network of arbitrators and arbitration practitioners.

This work is being undertaken in conjunction with Daniel Meltz of 12 Wentworth Selborne chambers and Jo Delaney, Partner, Baker & McKenzie, Sydney.

12 September 2017