PRIVATE COMMERCIAL DISPUTE SETTLEMENT IN ETHIOPIA: LEGAL FRAMEWORKS AND INSTITUTIONAL PRACTICES OF ARBITRATION IN ADDIS ABABA

Abstract

Today Arbitration has emerged as a significant mechanism for resolving commercial disputes, especially given the growing complexity of domestic and international business transactions. To meet this, Ethiopia introduced a legal reform through Proclamation No. 1237/2021. This legal reform aims to modernize Ethiopia’s arbitration legal and institutional framework by providing a governing regime and recognizing institutional arbitration practice. This thesis based the objective of critically examines the impact of this newly introduced on the commercial arbitration landscape in Ethiopia, with a particular focus on how it has shaped the development and operation of commercial arbitration institutions in Addis Ababa. It compares the current arbitration legal framework with the previous legal regime, emphasizing the Civil and Procedure Codes. In addition, the thesis assesses and identifies the practical and legal challenges that arbitration centers face following the 2021 legal reform, to achieve these objectives; the thesis employed Within the qualitative research design, the socio legal research methodological approach in a blend of both doctrinal and non-doctrinal legal research. Along with legal analysis, key informant interviews were conducted with relevant individuals and experts involved in the subject of the study and arbitration institutions included in the study. These primary sources along with secondary sources were thematically analysed and triangulated in this thesis. Accordingly, the thesis shows that while the legal reform has facilitated the development of institutional arbitration, there are significant gaps. These gaps include legal and practical. the legal is not having clear regulations for establishing arbitration centres and also the problem conflict arbitration law and other laws, the practical challenge is resources and awareness With these findings, the thesis recommends the implementation of a clearer regulatory and amending thus conflicting part of the legation, and for practical challenges investing in awareness and supporting institutional capacity to ensure a more robust and effective environment for arbitration