More than 100 representatives from the governmental, non-governmental, and private sectors of Uzbekistan dealing with international commercial transactions, as well as representatives of foreign embassies and international organizations, took part in the conference, which aimed to further support the development of arbitration and mediation in Uzbekistan.

“The economic system based on market economy principles requires freedom for entrepreneurs to operate according to their interests, which is a main factor of economic development. These principles demand acknowledgement of the right to choose methods with the help of which entrepreneurs can objectively solve controversies. There is a particular demand for arbitration courts in the sphere of international trade and its members always expect a balanced view on their interests, which cannot be hampered by the respective national legislation” said OSCE Project Co-ordinator in Uzbekistan, Ambassador Istvan Venczel in his opening speech

International experts including the President of the French Association of Arbitration, the President of the Association of International Arbitration, arbitrators from the Centre of Alternative Dispute Resolution of India, the Chairman of the Arbitration Institute of Finland, the Head of the Cologne Office of the German Institution of Arbitration, the Chairman of the Inter-regional Community of Arbitration and Mediation of Russia shared their expertise on international commercial dispute resolution and the significance of the development of commercial arbitration in the countries with a transition economy.

The event was organized as part of the economic and environmental dimension activities of the OSCE Project Co-ordinator's Office in Uzbekistan together with Association of Arbitration Courts of Uzbekistan and the French Embassy in Uzbekistan.