The Cairo Regional Centre for International Commercial Arbitration (“CRCICA”) on 24 June 2023 released the long-awaited draft of its reviewed Arbitration Rules ( “2023 Draft Rules”). These draft reflect their continuous and progressive efforts towards taking into account the recent changes introduced to the rules of other International Arbitration Centres including Singapore International Arbitration Centre, Saudi Center for Commercial Arbitration, London Court of International Arbitration and Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre. In order to do this, the CRCICA also has to look upon the rapid change in dispute resolution and trade landscape that align with the contemporaneous practices through the UNCITRAL Model Law.

With the support of feedback from the legal community in their practice jurisdiction through an invitation on the 2023 Draft Rules, the Draft Rules have brought about new attributes; new provisions related to Joinder and Consolidation, Confidentiality and Settlement Assistance, Emergency Procedures (including an Expedited Procedure), and Third Funding, enhanced procedural clarity on the notice of arbitration and response provisions as well as the process for removing and challenging arbitrators, tech-driven arbitration by reviewing and updating the rules of accommodating electronic evidence and promotion of online dispute resolution and annexes updates revolving on model arbitration clauses, costs and arbitration fees.

In Eqypt, these 2023 Draft Rules mainly point to the purpose of exploiting benefits in setting their provisions with International Standards and Practices mostly developed in the UNICTRAL Model Law and the development of better efficient, transparent and flexible arbitration processes through technology and reaping from its advancements. The CRCICA have thus evidently provided efforts on the creation of an effective and versatile framework for resolving disputes through the inclusion of expedited and emergency procedures, stronger emphasis on technology, clearer procedural guidelines, and new provisions addressing different arbitration aspects.

Consequently, the state will have to wait for the effect of the 2023 Draft Rules in the same year as they were established, the exact date is yet to be determined under which the same draft will be subjected to editorial corrections while finalizing the review by the CRCICA’s Board of Trustees.

‘Cairo Regional Centre for International Commercial Arbitration Unveils Modernised Draft Rules for 2023 | Perspectives & Events | Mayer Brown’