Who We Are

FICA is an institution which trains aspiring arbitrators and administers disputes. FICA offers panels of expert determiners and dispute resolvers who are available for appointment.

Founded in 1998, FICA is now a not-for-profit non-governmental organisation which:

• Provides administration services for preventing and resolving disputes.
• Offers experienced dispute resolvers who practice in various jurisdictions around the world.
• Offers multi-lingual and multi-jurisdictional experience.
• Provides administration services for prevention of disputes.
• Where disputes have arisen provides administration services for their resolution.
• Offers a Panel of Dispute Resolvers with multi-lingual and multi-jurisdictional experience.
• Offers transparency of administration and flexibility of rules.
• Has accreditation from the WTO, the ITC and UNCITRAL.
• Has Observer Status with four working groups of UNCITRAL:
  • Working Group I - Procurement
  • Working Group II - Arbitration
  • Working Group V - Insolvency
  • Working Group VI - Security Interests

In 2002 FICA was invited with Observer status to attend UNCITRAL and is accredited to the WTO in 1999 and International Trade Centre (ITC) in 1998.

FICA continues its work with UNCITRAL. Initially it was a member of Working Group II Arbitration and Conciliation (this Working Group covers all aspects of dispute resolution); in 2005 it was invited to join Working Group VI Security Interests and in 2008 it was invited to join Working Group I Procurement.

In 2005 a member of the board of FICA was Co-opted onto the Expert subgroup of Working Group VI. The work of that Expert subgroup involved detailed consideration of the legislative guide for security interests.

The ITC also invites FICA to the biannual meetings hosted by the ITC of Dispute Resolution Institutions.

In 2008 FICA has become affiliated to the Dispute Resolution Board Foundation.