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Switching on the light: South Africa gets ready for international arbitration
friendship between China and Africa manifests also the quality of ubuntu being a recognition of the inter-dependence of the members of the China-Africa community and the common values of good faith, mutual respect and cooperation which they share
city is easily accessible from di erent modes of transport from rail to road, train and air tra c. Our city’s world-class facilities, including hotels and infrastructure, are comparable to any in the world, making Johannesburg the most advanced commercial city in Africa.
e China–Africa Joint Arbitration Centre will be the template for all of Africa
e rst signatory to the Johannesburg Consensus was the then Mayor of Johannesburg, Mr Parks Tau, alert to the bene ts which would accrue to Johannesburg as a centre of international arbitral activity. It was, he said:
... a great pleasure to be here today to witness the signing of the Johannesburg Consensus and the establishment of the China–Africa Joint Arbitration Centre. Today’s gathering is indeed an important milestone as we establish a mechanism for dispute resolution in an e ort to facilitate trade and investment between China and Africa. e fact that the China–Africa Joint Arbitration Centre will operate from Shanghai and Johannesburg respectively will really strengthen ties and trade relations between Africa and the Republic of China. Shanghai, of course, one of the great commercial cities in China, and so is Johannesburg, the great commercial city of South Africa and indeed, that of the African continent as a whole. Shanghai is the gate way to China and so Johannesburg is the gateway to Africa. Ladies and gentlemen, the success of an International Arbitration Centre depends not only on the available legal infrastructure, but on its urban infrastructure as well. Considering the level of infrastructural development, Shanghai and Johannesburg are in many ways twin cities capable of hosting this important initiative and indeed the city of Johannesburg and Shanghai are twin cities in terms of a long-standing relationship that we have established between our respective cities. It is no surprise that the two cities have been chosen as host cities for the Joint Arbitration Centre. Ladies and gentlemen, I want to assure you all that Johannesburg will not be found wanting in any respect in the way of infrastructure. Our
A keynote speaker, the Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Mr John Je ery, said:
... the establishment of the China Africa International Arbitration Centre is an important step in furthering the partnership between our two countries. A partnership that is becoming ever stronger... .
So I would like to wish you all the best in your endeavours. I believe there’s a Chinese proverb that says and I quote ‘If we want one year of prosperity, grow grain. If we want 10 years of prosperity, then grow trees. But if we want 100 years of prosperity, then grow people’. Let us do our utmost to grow the people of both our great countries and I thank you, xièxie.
e China–Africa Joint Arbitration Centre will be the template for all of Africa and, in due course, other CAJAC centres will emerge in East, West and North Africa: this arbitral bridge between Africa and China will also serve as a shared project amongst African countries and thereby spread the recognition and the use of arbitral mechanisms throughout the continent
But the real bene t accrues to business in its dealings with China: previously if there was a dispute requiring a binding outcome that could be enforced in China, then the only recourse was full-scale litigation in the People’s Court. Now the dispute can be referred to CAJAC Johannesburg. It can be sorted out in this country according to con dential procedures with which business is familiar. e service o ered is of high quality.
Moreover, China, like South Africa, is a signatory to the New York Convention in which it has committed itself
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