Effectiveness through flexible procedures: International conciliation in focus at colloquium organized by Court of Conciliation and Arbitration within OSCE

Conciliation in international law as a means to peacefully resolve disputes between states was the focus of a colloquium held on 11 and 12 October 2018 in Geneva by the Court of Conciliation and Arbitration within the OSCE in co-operation with the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies.

The colloquium was designed as an outreach activity by the Court to raise awareness among OSCE participating States of its existence as an institution established to settle any arising disputes among them.

The colloquium for representatives of the international community in Geneva and academia brought together well-renowned legal experts to examine the theory and practice of conciliation procedures in different international contexts.

As a follow-up to a colloquium held in 2015 that focused on emerging trends in conciliation, the scope of this colloquium was enlarged in many respects, in particular by extending the research to Africa and Latin America and analysing the recent conciliation procedure between Australia and Timor-Leste.

Participants noted that successful conciliation requires flexible procedures that are applied within adequate time limits. The Bureau of the Court will compile the findings in a forthcoming publication with the aim of reminding the OSCE community of the Court’s mandate and encouraging them to make use of this institution.

Among the speakers at the event were: Prof. em. Emmanuel Decaux (Université II, Panthéon-Assas); Prof. Malgosia Fitzmaurice (Queen Mary University of London); Prof. Serena Forlati (University of Ferrara); Ambassador Daniel Klingele (Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs); Prof. Marcelo Kohen (Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies); Prof. Makane Mbengue (University of Geneva and Sciences Po Paris); Prof. Riccardo Pisillo Mazzeschi (University of Siena, Member of the Bureau of the Court); Prof. Pál Sonnevend (University of Budapest); Prof. em. Heinhard Steiger (University of Giessen); Prof. em. Daniel Thürer (University of Zürich, Member of the Bureau of the Court); Prof. em. Christian Tomuschat (Humboldt University Berlin, President of the Court); and Prof. Jorge Viñuales (University of Cambridge and Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva).

Financial aid for the event was provided by Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein and Switzerland.

The Court of Conciliation and Arbitration, which is based in Geneva, provides a mechanism for the peaceful settlement of disputes between States. The Court was established in 1995 by the Convention on Conciliation and Arbitration. Thirty-four States are Parties to the Convention. The Court is composed of recognized experts in the field of international law who are appointed by the States Parties.