To embed, copy and paste the code into your website or blog:
On 2 April 2021, Ethiopia enacted a new arbitration law, known as the Arbitration and Conciliation Working Procedure, Proclamation Number 1237/2021 (the "Proclamation"), to apply to commercial domestic arbitrations and international arbitrations whose seat is in Ethiopia.
1
The new law is part of larger efforts in the country to modernize its laws and position Ethiopia as business-friendly, thereby attracting more foreign investment. Ethiopia is the second most populous country in Africa, with a population of over 112 million, and the fastest-growing economy in the region according to the World Bank.
2
Prior to the enactment of the new law, under the previous legal framework for arbitration in Ethiopia, there was a limitation on the scope of the competence-competence doctrine, which allows arbitrators to rule on their own jurisdiction. While the Civil Code allows arbitrators to rule on their jurisdiction, Article 3330(3) of the Civil Code barred arbitrators from deciding the validity of an arbitral submission (arbitration agreement).