Conference on "Building a Global Framework to Facilitate Trade and Investment"

Johannesburg, South Africa (9 September 2014)

The Permanent Bureau and the University of Johannesburg, together with the Permanent Court of Arbitration and the International Court of Justice, organised a conference on Building a Global Framework to Facilitate Trade and Investment. The purpose of this one-day event was to raise awareness among the faculty, the students and other interested participants about the work of the aforementioned international organisations whose work is relevant to the development of international commercial law. 

In the session dedicated to the draft Hague Principles on Choice of Law in International Commercial Contracts (Principles), "The new Hague Principles on Choice of Law in International Contracts: a key element of a global legal framework for international commercial transactions", Prof D. Girsberger (Chair of the Working Group, the University of Lucerne, Switzerland) presented the draft Principles. In addition, Prof C.F. Forsyth (Cambridge University, UK) discussed Southern African private international law in South Africa and the Hague Principles.  

In another session, on "International commercial transactions", Christophe Bernasconi (Secretary General, HCCH) and representatives from the other participating institutions gave presentations on their organisations' respective mandates. 

The Permanent Bureau extends its appreciation to the organisers of the conference, Professor Jan L. Neels, the National Research Foundation Chair in International Law at the University of Johannesburg and the University of Johannesburg for their support and warm hospitality, as well as to the City of The Hague for sponsoring this Conference.

Presentations: