The Caribbean branch of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) hosted its fifth triennial conference from October 15 to October 17, 2024, focusing on the theme “Paths to Peace: Evolving Trends in Dispute Resolution”. The event was held on the campus of the Faculty of Law at the University of the West Indies (UWI) in St Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago.

CIArb is a leading global organization dedicated to the practice and promotion of alternative dispute resolution (ADR). Established in London in 1815, CIArb is a key player in the world of arbitration and mediation.

The Caribbean branch is responsible for CIArb members in the Caribbean region and contributes to achieving CIArb's objectives. It has about 250 members in 15 countries across the region and consists of six chapters located in Barbados, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago.

The three-day event brought together numerous experts across various panels. The topics discussed involved ADR and subjects such as: sports law, conflicts between states, commercial disputes, labor relations, construction law and civil engineering, the new Singapore Convention on Mediation, and renewable energy and sustainable development. The CARO Center, as an official partner and sponsor of the event, was represented via video by Dr. Marie-Camille Pitton, Secretary-General of the CARO Center, and Solène Balaguette, Senior Legal Counsel at CARO. The latter served as the moderator of the panel titled “The Intersection of ADR, Renewable Energy, and Climate Justice”.

This panel consisted of the following speakers:

• Eric Franco, from Legal Delta, lawyer, arbitrator, and professor;
• Dr. Conway Blake, from Debevoise & Plimpton LLC in London;
• Dr. Alicia Elias-Roberts, Dean of the Faculty of Law, St Augustine campus in Trinidad and Tobago.

The conference provided an opportunity for participants to discuss the role of ADR in key sectors for the development of Caribbean economies. It also allowed the CARO Center to reaffirm its commitment alongside its partner to the development of ADR in the Caribbean region. The event notably included:

• Mr. Jonathan Wood, President of CIArb;
• Justice Dr. Anthony Gafoor, President of the Caribbean branch of CIArb;
• Sir Dennis Byron, Former President of the Caribbean Court of Justice and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, President of the CARO Center;
• Sir Hilary Beckles, Vice Chancellor of The University of the West Indies;
• Senator Renuka Sagramsingh-Sooklal, representing the Honorable Reginald Armour SC, Attorney General of Trinidad and Tobago.

For more information, please contact: secretariat@carohadac.org.

• To learn about the Caribbean branch of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb): http://www.ciarbcaribbean.org/index.html.
• For more information on CARO services: https://www.carohadac.org/services.html
• To learn more about the seventeen sustainable development goals of the United Nations program: https://www.undp.org/fr/sustainable-development-goals