publish

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)

Gulf trade deal could ‘lock in’ more rights for fossil fuel industry, campaigners warn
Global Justice Now | 28-Oct-2025
UK government reported to be demanding corporate courts as a red line in deal with six Gulf countries.
climate , GCC , investor-state disputes | ISDS , UK
Canada’s Alamos exits Türkiye, sells 3 gold mines to Nurol for $470M
Türkiye Today | 17-Sep-2025
As part of the agreement, arbitration proceedings brought by Alamos’s Netherlands subsidiaries against the Republic of Türkiye under the Netherlands–Türkiye Bilateral Investment Treaty will remain suspended.
Canada , investor-state disputes | ISDS , mining , Türkiye
Israeli court refuses to enforce €20m ruling against Spanish gov’t
Globes | 5-Sep-2025
German company Sunflower cannot enforce in Israel a binding arbitration award requiring the Spanish government to pay it €18.4 million plus €1.5 million in costs.
ECT , energy , Germany , investor-state disputes | ISDS , Israel , Spain
Türkiye wins $30M arbitration case over Italian Enel’s revoked solar license
Türkiye Today | 28-Jul-2025
Türkiye has prevailed in an international arbitration case brought by Italian energy giant Enel S.p.A. over the 2022 cancellation of a pre-license for a solar power plant in the southwestern province of Isparta, the country’s energy regulator announced on Friday.
energy , investor-state disputes | ISDS , Türkiye
The India/UAE Bilateral Investment Treaty: Novel features in the next generation of BITs
Norton Rose Fulbright | 28-Jul-2025
We consider the key changes for investors and how the treaty reflects India’s developing approach to the balancing of its regulatory rights against those of private investors.
India , investment | BITs , investor-state disputes | ISDS , ISDS reform , UAE
Karapetyan has won an international lawsuit against the Armenian government
Oreanda | 24-Jul-2025
Businessman Samvel Karapetyan has won an international arbitration case against the Armenian government in connection with attempts by the authorities to nationalize his company, Electric Grids of Armenia.
Armenia , Cyprus , energy , investor-state disputes | ISDS
The Republic of Armenia is put on notice of investment dispute for its actions against Samvel Karapetyan and Electrical Networks of Armenia
Tert.am | 2-Jul-2025
Samvel Karapetyan, a prominent businessman and a founder of Tashir Group, one of the largest group of companies in Eastern Europe, together with his family, sent a notice of investment dispute to the state officials of the Republic of Armenia.
Armenia , Cyprus , investment | BITs , investor-state disputes | ISDS
Bahrain ratifies Bilateral Investment Treaty with UAE
Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer | 1-Jul-2025
Key features include the exclusion of concessions for natural resources from its protection remit, the inclusion of sovereign wealth funds as "Investors" and a denial of benefits clause.
Bahrain , investment | BITs , investor-state disputes | ISDS , UAE
Samvel Karapetyan sues France over seized villa on the French Riviera
Public Radio of Armenia | 20-Jun-2025
Russia-based Armenian businessman Samvel Karapetyan, the owner of Tashir Group, has initiated arbitration proceedings against France at the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes
Armenia , France , investor-state disputes | ISDS
Samvel Karapetyan poursuit la France pour la saisie d’une villa sur la Côte d’Azur
NAM | 20-Jun-2025
L’homme d’affaires arménien basé en Russie Samvel Karapetyan, propriétaire du groupe Tashir, a engagé une procédure d’arbitrage contre la France devant le Centre international pour le règlement des différends relatifs aux investissements.
Armenia , France , investor-state disputes | ISDS