Rabat, Morocco June 18, 2009–IFC,
a member of the World Bank Group, today announced the launch of the Euro-Mediterranean
Center for Mediation and Arbitration, a body composed of international
experts that will help businesses in Morocco settle commercial disputes
more quickly and easily.
IFC provided training and other assistance to help establish the center,
and organized a conference that brought together private and public sector
stakeholders to raise awareness about alternative dispute resolutions and
promote mediation and arbitration. The conference, entitled “The Era of
ADR,” was held on June 18.
Hassan Alami, President of the Board of Trustees of the Euro-Mediterranean
Center for Mediation and Arbitration, said, “With its diverse board comprising
high-profile individuals from Morocco and other countries, such as France,
Spain, and Italy, the Euro-Mediterranean Center for Mediation and Arbitration
will build alternative dispute resolution in Morocco and be at the forefront
of alternative dispute resolution internationally.”
The mediation and arbitration center will help resolve disputes between
small and large companies in Morocco or between Moroccan and European companies.
According to the World Bank Group’s 2008 Doing Business Report,
an annual report that provides objective measures of business regulations
and their enforcement across 181 economies, it takes 615 days on average
to enforce a contract in Morocco. The courts suffer administrative stress
in managing overbearing caseloads, while lengthy disputes tie up private
sector assets.
IFC hosted two training sessions in June to support mediation as a way
to resolve disputes. On June 16, IFC organized training for media on alternative
dispute resolution to raise awareness among journalists. On June 17, IFC
held a training session on best practices in managing alternative dispute
resolution centers to over 10 directors of existing centers in Morocco
to help build their capacities and improve their services to end users.
Frank Sader, IFC Senior Operations Manager for the Middle East and North
Africa, said, “The strong momentum for and growing interest in alternative
dispute resolution demonstrated by the Moroccan public and private sector
authorities shows the need for improved capacity of alternative dispute
resolution service providers.”
About IFC
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, creates opportunity for people
to escape poverty and improve their lives. We foster sustainable economic
growth in developing countries by supporting private sector development,
mobilizing private capital, and providing advisory and risk mitigation
services to businesses and governments. Our new investments totaled $16.2
billion in fiscal 2008, a 34 percent increase over the previous year. For
more information, please visit www.ifc.org.
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