INTRODUCTION

The International Law Institute has established its third regional campus – the Middle East Development Law Institute (MEDLI) in Cairo, Egypt in 2003.

The opening of the center in Cairo enables ILI to bring its services closer to its clients and to tailor training programs and technical assistance activities to the specific needs of the region. It also allows the Institute to combine the broad knowledge of our faculty from around the world with the experience of local professionals from government, the private sector and multinational organizations.

The mission of the new center is to promote the development of sustainable market economies in the countries of North Africa and the Middle East, to provide knowledge for creating an investment-friendly legal infrastructure, and to ensure the region’s greater participation in the international economy.

MEDLI's first seminar took place January 26 – 30, 2003, in Cairo. The seminar was held in cooperation with the Cairo Regional Centre for International Commercial Arbitration (CRCICA), who generously provided its premises, and was funded in part by the OPEC Fund for International Development.

The one week seminar, International Commercial Arbitration, was presented to thirty-three participants attending from Bahrain, Egypt, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia and Uganda. Participants from both government and private organizations benefited from the expertise of course advisors: Professor Markham Ball and Dr. M.I.M. Aboul-Enein, and guest faculty Dr. Professor Aly Elghatit and Dr. Professor Mohamed Badran.

The International Law Institute is proud to have MEDLI join its growing network of regional campuses.