Amicable Investor-State Dispute Settlement at ICSID: Modernizing Conciliation and Introducing Mediation

Abstract

The International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) has embarked on a comprehensive reform of its existing dispute settlement mechanism and also added a set of mediation rules to its service offerings. This article reviews the proposed amendments to the ICSID conciliation mechanism and ICSID’s proposed investment mediation framework. In relation to the proposed amendments to the ICSID conciliation mechanism, the article analyzes key differences and similarities between ICSID Convention arbitration and ICSID Convention conciliation, before providing an overview of the amendments proposed to the conciliation framework and offering some conclusions. Subsequently, the article reviews the background against which the ICSID Mediation Rules have been developed and sets out the key differences and similarities between ICSID’s existing conciliation process and the newly proposed mediation mechanism. The article then provides a comprehensive overview of the Mediation Rules before offering conclusions and a positive outlook for amicable investor-State Dispute Settlement.