Against the backdrop of increasingly close South-South cooperation and frequent China-Africa economic and trade exchanges, in order to promote dispute resolution cooperation and exchanges between China and Ethiopia, effectively respond to the practical needs of enterprises of the two countries in resolving disputes, and facilitate the healthy development of economic and trade cooperation between the two countries, on February 24, 2025, during the visit to Ethiopia with a delegation of Chinese entrepreneurs led by Chen Jian’an, Vice-Chairman of CCPIT, a delegation of the China International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (CIETAC) visited the Addis Ababa Chamber of Commerce and Sectoral Associations Arbitration Institute (AACCSA AI). Wang Chengjie, Vice Chairman and Secretary General of CIETAC, and Yohannes Woldegebriel, Director of AACCSA AI, signed the cooperation agreement on behalf of CIETAC and AACCSA AI respectively, marking the first time that the two countries’ arbitration institutions have reached a consensus on cooperation in terms of joint promotion of arbitration system, sharing of arbitrators’ resources, co-organization of seminars, and joint development of project research, etc., which is of historical significance.

AACCSA AI was established in 2002 under the Addis Ababa Chamber of Commerce, the oldest in Ethiopia, and is the most well-known institution in Ethiopia providing alternative dispute resolution services such as arbitration and mediation.

Before the signing ceremony, Secretary General Wang Chengjie had a discussion with Director Yohannes Woldegebriel. The two sides carried out extensive exchanges on the latest development of the two institutions, as well as the diversified dispute resolution services provided by the two institutions, such as arbitration, mediation, expert review and other forms of cooperation, and jointly explored how to better provide specialized, internationalized and high-quality dispute resolution legal services for Chinese and Ethiopian enterprises.

On the same day, the CIETAC delegation also visited ZEELAWS, an internationally renowned law firm in Ethiopia. Dr. Zewdineh Beyene Haile, the founding partner and director of the law firm, received the delegation and had a discussion and exchange. Secretary General Wang Chengjie introduced to the attendees about the professional and efficient dispute resolution services provided by CIETAC to help Chinese and African enterprises to settle disputes properly. Dr. Haile, with a rich number of case examples, demonstrated that CIETAC has become an important option for Chinese and African enterprises to settle disputes when negotiating contracts. Both sides also discussed hot issues such as third-party funded arbitration, recognition and enforcement of arbitral awards of both countries.

The talks and exchanges with well-known arbitration institutions and law firms in Ethiopia enhanced the understanding between the two sides, which will be conducive to the cooperation between the two countries in arbitration and legal services and promoting the healthy and orderly development of economic and trade between the two countries.