In Cairo: Riham Mustafa Phone: +20 2461 4230 E-mail: rmustafa@ifc.org
Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, January 15, 2012—IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, has started regional training sessions on commercial mediation to help judges and directors of mediation centers from the Middle East & North Africa to form a regional network of mediators, supporting entrepreneurs and investors in the region.
The “Unlocking Mediation Potential in the Middle East & North Africa” course groups key public and private sector stakeholders from IFC’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Projects in Egypt, Lebanon and Morocco to establish a network and platform for exchanging mediation best practices and learning experiences across the region. The first training session runs in Egypt from January 14 - 20, 2012.
“This training will help determine the future of both private and court-connected mediation in the region as it will form a mediator network for members across the Middle East and North Africa,” said Luke Haggarty, Head of IFC Advisory Services for the Middle East & North Africa. “Together with our partners we are helping create a world standard mediation accreditation course specific for the region.”
The Mediator Training Course, developed by IFC and the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution, is the first Arabic mediation training manual to facilitate internationally accredited mediators in the region. The training aims to present and receive feedback from the judges and directors on an international mediation accreditation course that has been developed in English and Arabic to specifically target the development of mediation services across the region.
This session in Sharm El Sheikh marks the launch of a series of regional and country-specific courses on commercial mediation that will optimize synergies between the three countries and help ensure regional excellence in dispute resolution services. As an alternative to full-scale court process; mediation, which is faster and less costly, can free company funds otherwise tied up in disputes, creating a better business environment for investors, small and medium enterprises, and entrepreneurs.
IFC’s Regional Alternative Dispute Resolution Program is funded by Switzerland’s State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, SECO.
About IFC IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is the largest global development institution focused exclusively on the private sector. We help developing countries achieve sustainable growth by financing investment, providing advisory services to businesses and governments, and mobilizing capital in the international financial markets. In fiscal 2011, amid economic uncertainty across the globe, we helped our clients create jobs, strengthen environmental performance, and contribute to their local communities—all while driving our investments to an all-time high of nearly $19 billion. For more information, visit www.ifc.org
For more information about SECO, visit http://www.seco-cooperation.admin.ch/index.html?lang=en
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