Conference & Training Workshops · Nassau, Bahamas
Future of Investor-State Dispute Resolution (ISDS) in The Bahamas, the Americas, Africa and Beyond — Conference, ICSID Workshop & Judiciary Mediation Training
22 – 26 June 2026
Margaritaville Beach Resort · Nassau, Bahamas
Reserve Your Seat →Registration Closes Thursday, 19 June 2026 at 5:00 PM EST · Limited Seats
The Mid-Atlantic Caribbean Alternative Dispute Institute (MACADRI) is organizing a conference in Nassau, Bahamas from 22 – 26 June 2026 with the support of the Government of The Bahamas and the assistance of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). The conference will be comprised of keynote addresses and panels, followed by a one-day training workshop on Wednesday, 24 June 2026 focusing on investor-state dispute resolution ("ISDS"). On Thursday 25 and Friday 26 June 2026, the Judiciary, led by Justice Vasheist Kokaram of the Court of Appeal, will conduct mediation training workshops as part of the Supreme Court's pilot mediation programme, launching next autumn.
The conference will bring together high-level government officials as well as practitioners from The Bahamas, the Caribbean and Africa to discuss the potential for The Bahamas to become a hub for foreign investment, to promote Afro-Caribbean trade and foster a more integrated Africa-Caribbean economic dialogue.
The workshop aims to explore the theory and practice of ISDS by raising awareness about ICSID and building on the experience of African and Caribbean stakeholders. Both the conference and workshop are intended to increase awareness amongst government officials and private sector lawyers about international investment arbitration and the prevention and mitigation of disputes.
This is a must-attend event for the business community, policy and decision makers on ADR and legal professionals interested in current legal frameworks, debates and developments in international arbitration in The Bahamas, the Caribbean, Africa and beyond.
Meg Kinnear
LKDR LLC · Former Secretary-General of the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), World Bank Group. A leading global authority on investor-state arbitration, bringing decades of experience shaping international dispute resolution frameworks worldwide.
Justice Vasheist Kokaram
Justice of the Court of Appeal of The Bahamas. "Building a Culture of Mediation — UN SDG 16 and the role of mediation in building a more resilient and peaceful society." Leading the Judiciary's mediation training workshops under the Supreme Court's pilot mediation programme.
Judge Chile Eboe-Osuji
Judge of the Caribbean Court of Justice. A distinguished jurist bringing authoritative perspective on international commercial courts and the future of dispute resolution across the Caribbean region.
Monday, 22 June 2026 — Conference Day One
Future of Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) in The Bahamas, the Americas, Africa and Beyond
| 9:00 – 10:00 AM |
Opening Ceremony & Keynote
Opening Prayers · National Anthem
Opening of Conference: The Rt Hon. Philip Edward Davis KC — Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas Keynote: Meg Kinnear — LKDR LLC, former Secretary-General of ICSID |
| ☕ Coffee Break — 15 minutes | |
| 10:15 AM – 12:30 PM |
Panel 1 — Fireside Chat: The Economic Paths of Africa and the Caribbean — Untold Stories of Challenges & Prospects
Moderator: Barry N. Griffin — Chairman, The Bahamas Trade Commission
Interviewer: Werner Gruner — Honourary Consul for South Africa Andrew Debalen — Chief Economist, World Bank Jose Luis Sabion — IDB Bahamas RepresentativeTBD John Rolle — Governor, Central Bank of The Bahamas Professor Dr Rupert Pinder — Economist, University of The BahamasTBD Panel 2 — Investor-State Dispute Resolution
Common issues, lessons learned and overlap in the Caribbean and Africa · Dispute resolution in the Caribbean
Moderator: High Chief Professor Ike Ehribe — Co-convener of MACADRI Professor Githu Muigai — Former Attorney General of Kenya Chief Christopher Bayo Ojo, SAN — Patron of MACADRI, former Attorney General of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Professor Rose Rameau — Albany Law, New York Dr. Ucheora Onwuamaegbu — ArentFox Schiff LLP |
| 🍽 Lunch Break — 1 hr 30 min | |
| 2:00 – 3:00 PM |
Panel 3 — Exploring The Bahamas International Commercial Court as a Regional Neutral Hub for Commercial Justice
Discussions will focus on the impact of the Singapore International Commercial Court on commerce, investment, and innovations in cross-border disputes
Moderator: Dancia Penn KC — Former Attorney General & Deputy Governor of BVI Senator Hon. Jerome Fitzgerald — Minister of Economic Affairs Adriana Uson — Director & Head (Americas), Singapore International Arbitration Centre Khalil Parker — President, The Bahamas Bar Association Sir Brian Moree, KT, KC — Former Chief Justice and member of the Court of Appeal |
| 3:00 – 4:00 PM |
Panel 4 — Partial Award in an Arbitration between the Government of The Bahamas and the Grand Bahama Port Authority
Moderator: High Chief Professor Ike Ehribe — Co-convener of MACADRI
Professor Githu Muigai — Former Attorney General of Kenya Dr Ucheora Onwuamaegbu — ArentFox Schiff LLP Carlos Jose Valderrama — Independent Counsel and Consultant on prevention and resolution of international disputes |
Tuesday, 23 June 2026 — Conference Day Two
Mediation, Nation Building & The Bahamas as the New Neutral
| 9:00 – 10:00 AM |
Welcome & Keynote
Welcome remarks
Opening remarks: Attorney General, Senator the Hon. Wayne Munroe Keynote: Justice Vasheist Kokaram — Justice of the Court of Appeal of The Bahamas "Building a Culture of Mediation — UN SDG 16 and the role of mediation in building a more resilient and peaceful society" |
| ☕ Coffee Break — 15 minutes | |
| 10:15 – 10:45 AM |
Presentation — Creating the Environment for Peaceful Development: The Role of the Singapore Convention
ModeratorTBD
Adriana Uson — Director & Head (Americas), Singapore International Arbitration Centre Speaker from UNCITRALTBD |
| 10:45 AM – 12:15 PM |
Panel — The Many Faces of Mediation and Nation Building
Panelists will examine trends in dispute settlement by means of mediation — how institutions, culture, law and legal instruments, people and the private sector can build stronger communities: resolving family disputes, commercial/civil disputes, creating an environment of peace, reducing crime and violence while generating economic activity.
Moderator: Rubie Nottage (Ret.J) — University of The Bahamas Meg Kinnear — LKDR LLC, former Secretary-General of ICSID Madeline Kimei, FCIArb — iResolvers, Tanzania Caryl Lashley, FCIArb — ADR Bahamas |
| 🍽 Lunch Break — 1 hr 30 min | |
| 1:30 – 2:15 PM |
Presentation — The Future of International Commercial Courts
Exploring "The Bahamas International Commercial Court" as a regional neutral hub for commercial justice — the impact of the Singapore International Commercial Court on commerce and investment, and innovations in cross-border disputes.
Keynote: Justice Chile-Eboe — Judge of the Caribbean Court of Justice, Trinidad and Tobago — "No Commerce Without Peace" |
| 2:15 – 3:30 PM |
Panel — The Peruvian Model: Dispute Prevention
Discussion with the architect of the Peruvian Model and how The Bahamas and other jurisdictions could learn from Peru's dispute prevention platform
Senator Hon. Jerome Fitzgerald KC — Minister of Economic Affairs Carlos Jose Valderrama — Independent Counsel and Consultant on prevention and resolution of international disputes |
| ☕ Coffee Break — 15 minutes | |
| 3:45 – 4:30 PM |
The Bahamas — The New Neutral: Mediation and the Way Forward
Adopting a conference resolution to sign the Singapore Convention and the mediation pledge
Santhaan Krishnan — Former President of the Commonwealth Lawyers Association Conference closing remarks |
Wednesday, 24 June 2026 — ICSID Executive Training Workshop
Workshop: Introduction to ICSID
| 9:30 – 10:45 AM |
Session 1 — Introduction to ICSID and ISDS
Introduction to ICSID and ISDS · ICSID Jurisdiction
|
| ☕ Coffee Break — 15 minutes | |
| 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM |
Session 2 — ICSID Jurisdiction and Procedure
|
| 🍽 Lunch Break — 1 hr 30 min | |
| 2:00 – 3:30 PM |
Session 3 — ICSID Procedure
|
Thursday, 25 June 2026 — Pilot Training Programme for Mediators
Workshop: Mediation Refresher · Part of the Supreme Court's pilot mediation programme
| 9:00 AM | Opening Remarks |
| 9:30 – 10:30 AM |
Session 1 — The Basics of the Mediation Process: A Refresher
|
| 10:30 – 10:45 AM | Feedback |
| ☕ Coffee Break — 15 minutes | |
| 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
Session 2 — Dealing with Lawyers and the Legal Process
Tips on what to expect from lawyers and — for those not familiar with the legal process — help reframing legal issues to the needs and interests of parties.
|
| 12:00 – 12:30 PM | The Fundamentals for a Successful Mediation |
| 🍽 Lunch Break — 1 hr | |
| 1:30 – 2:30 PM | Session 3 — Role Play |
| 2:30 PM | Debrief |
| 3:30 PM | Tips and Traps for Court-Connected Mediation |
| 4:30 PM | Closing Remarks |
Friday, 26 June 2026 — Mediation Workshop for the Judiciary
Workshop: Introduction to Judicial Settlement Conferencing (JSC)
| 9:00 – 11:00 AM |
Session 1 — Overview of JSC
JSC process map · Learning the stages of the JSC · Determining "table setting" issues (including pre-JSC meetings and settlement briefs; the importance of screening) · The importance and value of opening remarks and controlling the process · Developing and determining your approach to the process
Introduction to the Six-Step Process |
| ☕ Coffee Break — 15 minutes | |
| 11:15 AM – 12:45 PM |
Session 2 — The Opening Statement
Role play: opening statement
Session 3 — Exploration of Needs and Interests
What style is best suited for JSCs, and when should each be deployed? · Using the facilitative model and the dangers of being evaluative at a preliminary stage in litigation · How can you be evaluative without offering formal advice? · Shuttle diplomacy vs joint sessions · Should we use a caucus and how should it be used?
|
| 🍽 Lunch Break — 1 hr 30 min | |
| 2:00 PM | Session 3 (continued) — Tips on Options and Evaluations |
| 2:30 PM | Session 4 — Group Work: JSC Role Play |
| 3:30 PM | ☕ Break |
| 3:45 PM |
Debrief
After the simulated exercise, tabulating and explaining critical problem-solving techniques and bringing closure
|
| 4:00 PM | Closing Remarks |
Untold Stories of Challenges & Prospects.
Common issues, lessons learned and overlap in the Caribbean and Africa · Dispute resolution in the Caribbean.
The impact of the Singapore International Commercial Court on commerce, investment, and innovations in cross-border disputes.
Examining the partial award in an arbitration between the Government of The Bahamas and the Grand Bahama Port Authority.
How institutions, culture, law, people and the private sector can build stronger communities — creating peace, reducing crime and violence while generating economic activity.
Discussion with the architect of the Peruvian Model and how The Bahamas and other jurisdictions could learn from Peru's dispute prevention platform.
Wednesday, 24 June 2026
Introduction to ICSID — exploring the theory and practice of ISDS across three sessions: Introduction to ICSID and ISDS, ICSID Jurisdiction, and ICSID Procedure. Raising awareness about ICSID and building on the experience of African and Caribbean stakeholders.
Thursday, 25 June 2026
Mediation Refresher — the basics of the mediation process, dealing with lawyers and the legal process, the fundamentals for a successful mediation, role play, and tips and traps for court-connected mediation. Part of the Supreme Court's pilot mediation programme.
Friday, 26 June 2026
Introduction to Judicial Settlement Conferencing (JSC) — led by Justice Vasheist Kokaram of the Court of Appeal. The JSC process map, the Six-Step Process, opening statements, exploration of needs and interests, and group role play.
Government Officials & Policymakers
Trade & Investment Authorities
Arbitration & Mediation Professionals
The Judiciary & Court-Connected Mediators
Corporate Counsel & Legal Practitioners
Business Leaders in Cross‑Border Investment
Secure your seat at the most important ISDS conference in The Bahamas, the Americas, Africa and beyond.
Registration Closes Thursday, 19 June 2026 at 5:00 PM EST · Space is Limited
Register Online via Google Forms →