On September 17, the Attorney General of the Maldives deposited his country’s instrument of accession to the Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards, also known as the New York Convention. The Convention will enter into force on December 16, 2019, making Maldives the 161st member of the New York Convention. The New York Convention requires courts of contracting States to give effect to arbitration agreements and to recognize and enforce awards made in other States, making it a vital instrument of international arbitration and commerce.

The Maldives Attorney General and his three-member delegation was sponsored by CLDP, as part of CLDP’s Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) technical assistance work in the Maldives. CLDP’s Chief Counsel Steve Gardner, International Program Specialist Kate Casey, and Senior Attorney Zmarak Khan accompanied the delegation in New York. CLDP has been working with the Maldives in the ADR sector for the past 6 months, which has helped the country sign onto the Singapore Convention and now the New York Convention. CLDP has also been helping the country establish its first and only ADR Center. An effective, transparent, and efficient ADR regime in the Maldives will help foster a business enabling environment for both local and American businesses.