On the morning of November 27, 2025, the Asia Pacific International Arbitration Chamber (APIAC) held a tripartite signing ceremony in Singapore, formally signing a Memorandum of Understanding on Strategic Cooperation with the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Kenya Branch (CIArb Kenya) and the African Arbitration Association (AfAA).
The ceremony was attended by CIArb Kenya Chairman Wyne Mutuma; AfAA Vice President Njeri Kariuki and member Herman Omiti; Yvonne Chai, consular officer at the Kenyan Consulate in Singapore; APIAC Co-President 马占军, Vice President Asad Khalil and Executive Director 张丽; and Singapore Development Center Director 莫凯斯 and Chief Representative 邵卓颖. African arbitration representatives Steven Oundo, David Njoroge and Kariuki Muigua also joined online to witness the signing. The MoU marks an important step in institution-building, professional exchanges and cross-regional cooperation between the Asia Pacific and African arbitration communities. Under the MoU, the three parties will establish a long-term, equal and practical strategic partnership covering jointly hosting annual international arbitration conferences, developing joint training and capacity-building programs, publishing joint research and academic work, and promoting cross-regional mutual recognition and appointment of arbitrators.
The most important outcome reached by the three parties during the signing process is that APIAC will, at CIArb Kenya (Flamingo Towers, Mezzanine 1, Upperhill, Nairobi), establish the APIAC Africa Office.The two parties will share key resources, including office facilities, arbitration secretaries and arbitrators. This means that businesses from countries and regions outside Africa facing disputes arising from investments in Africa will be able to access more convenient and efficient services locally, providing a powerful new avenue for resolving cross-border investment disputes.
President 马占军 stated that this cooperation would further expand the international influence of the arbitration institutions in the three locations, provide more diverse and high-quality options for resolving cross-border disputes involving Asian and African businesses, and strongly advance the development and interconnectedness of the global ADR ecosystem.
Following the ceremony, the parties formally exchanged arbitrator appointment letters, laying the foundation for deeper cooperation in case coordination, expert recommendations and cross-regional arbitration practice.
Finally, representatives of the three parties exchanged gifts as a gesture of sincere friendship and willingness to cooperate. APIAC will continue to promote deeper cooperation between the Asia Pacific and global arbitration communities, providing international commercial dispute resolution solutions with higher standards and broader perspectives through institutional innovation, professional development and cross-regional collaboration.
