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Middle East

States from the Middle East have concluded about 600 investment deals. 44 ISDS cases have been brought against Middle Eastern countries, while investors from the region have initiated 44 cases as well.

In 2013, Al-Kharafi & Sons Co., investors from Kuwait, were awarded US$935 million under the Unified Agreement for the Investment of Arab Capital in the Arab States, in a dispute over a land-leasing contract for a tourism project in Libya, making it one of the largest known awards to date. They had only invested about US$5 million but the arbitration tribunal decided that Libya also had to compensate for profits that would have been made during the 90-year leasing contract and were now lost.

Photo: President of Azerbaijan / CC BY 4.0

(April 2020)

TRC reaches final settlement with Orange Jordan
The Jordan Times | 4-Nov-2016
The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) signed a settlement agreement with Orange Jordan, ending a dispute related to the renewal of the company’s second-generation (2G) network.
finance | banking | taxes , France , investor-state disputes | ISDS , Jordan , telecommunications
Mekorot demands €50m damages from Cypriot gov’t
Globes | 6-Oct-2016
A Mekorot subsidiary is threatening to sue Cyprus under its investment treaty with Israel.
Cyprus , investor-state disputes | ISDS , Israel , water
Iran signs off on a radical investment treaty: barring arbitrators from wearing two hats, narrowing protections, and limiting damages awards
IA Reporter | 5-Sep-2016
The Islamic Republic of Iran and the Slovak Republic have signed off on a deeply iconoclastic investment treaty.
investment | BITs , investor-state disputes | ISDS , Iran , reformed ISDS , Slovakia
M. Iskandar Safa dépose un recours contre la République grecque auprès du CIRDI
Le Lézard | 23-Jun-2016
M. Iskandar Safa, co-propriétaire du Groupe Privinvest, un acteur dans le secteur de la construction navale, qui a pris le contrôle de Hellenic Shipyards SA, a présenté une requête d’arbitrage contre la République grecque au CIRDI
Greece , investor-state disputes | ISDS , Lebanon
Iskandar Safa submits claim against the Hellenic Republic with ICSID
PR Newswire | 23-Jun-2016
Iskandar Safa, co-owner of the Privinvest Group, a global player in the shipbuilding industry, which took control of Hellenic Shipyards SA, submitted a request for arbitration against the Hellenic Republic at the World Bank’s ICSID.
finance | banking | taxes , Greece , investor-state disputes | ISDS , Lebanon
S’pore, Iran ink bilateral treaty on investment
Asia One | 4-Mar-2016
Singapore has moved quickly to sign an investment treaty with oil-rich Iran to support Singapore firms investing in an economy that is emerging after the recent lifting of global sanctions.
investor-state disputes | ISDS , Iran , natural resources , Singapore
Japan and the Islamic Republic of Iran sign a bilateral investment agreement
Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry | 16-Feb-2016
The Agreement stipulates rules for investment protection and the development of an investment environment.
investment | BITs , investor-state disputes | ISDS , Iran , Japan , natural resources
Droits de l’homme : Al Jazeera poursuit l’Egypte en justice
El Watan | 29-Jan-2016
La chaîne qatarie Al Jazeera a annoncé poursuivre l’Egypte en justice devant un tribunal d’arbitrage dépendant de la Banque mondiale, l’accusant d’avoir «confisqué» ses investissements et causé «une perte d’au moins 150 millions de dollars».
Egypt , human rights , investor-state disputes | ISDS , Qatar
Al-Jazeera sues Egypt over crackdown and harassments which caused $150mn in losses
Lawyer Herald | 29-Jan-2016
Pan-Arab TV Network Al-Jazeera is taking legal actions against Egypt over the closure of the Qatar-owned broadcast network and the harassments of its journalists has led to $150 million worth of losses.
Egypt , human rights , investor-state disputes | ISDS , Qatar
Egypt to appeal $1.76 bln award to Israel in gas dispute, freeze gas import talks
Reuters | 9-Dec-2015
Egypt said on Sunday it would appeal an order by international arbitrators to pay $1.76 billion in compensation to state-owned Israel Electric Corp for halting gas supplies.
Egypt , energy , investor-state disputes | ISDS , Israel