8 May, 2018
The Asian Institute of Alternative Dispute Resolution (AiADR) was officially launched in conjunction with the Asia ADR Week 2018, the flagship event of the Asian International Arbitration Centre (AIAC) held for the first time under its new brand. The launch was officiated by H.E. Professor Dr. Kennedy Gastorn, the Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization (AALCO) Secretary-General and Dato’ Quek Ngee Meng, Malaysia-China Business Council Director and AiADR Vice President, at the AIAC’s 40th Anniversary Gala Dinner held at the Grand Hyatt, Kuala Lumpur.
AiADR is the first not-for-profit, member-based centre for alternative dispute resolution (ADR), dedicated to promoting the practice of ADR through affordable and accessible education, and development of the profession across Asia, Africa and its neighbours. It aims to serve as a platform for members in converging international practices, building capacity, and providing opportunities for all stakeholders of the economy in resolving disputes and seeing projects and investments through with a special focus on emerging Asian and African economies.
“Most institutions today are either national, or regional-centric – often placing lesser emphasis on frontier markets and the cultural nuances of doing business and resolving consequential disputes.” said Datuk Professor Sundra Rajoo, Council Member of AiADR and Director of the Asian International Arbitration Centre. He added, “Another factor typically overlooked where global ADR development is concerned is the spending capacity of professionals in obtaining ADR qualifications and recognition. This not only hinders wider participation in ADR development, but also precludes this demographic from qualifications, recognition and experience that they and their economies deserve.”
As Asia and Africa become the motors of the world’s economic growth, AiADR aims to accelerate the shift of commercial focus to the East, particularly with the advent of the Belt & Road initiative which is set to connect Asia, Africa and parts of Europe through large land and sea infrastructure development.
“It is timely that AiADR is setting up to deliver academic excellence in ADR and we look forward to working together with AiADR in sculpting a wide range of programmes aimed at equipping practitioners and non-practitioners alike for eastern norms in resolving commercial disputes,” said His Excellency. He added, “These programmes will take into account geopolitical and socioeconomic intricacies of frontier markets while capitalising on technology to help disseminate AiADR programmes across the globe.”
AiADR’s objective is to serve as a continental hub for building capacity and compounding knowledge, eventually branching out to strategic locations across the continent and its neighbours. In addition, AiADR will form relationships with policy and law makers and members of the judiciary for holistic convergence of dispute resolution and trade practices.
