The PCA’s award in Rwanda v. United Kingdom turns a politically charged migration dispute into a careful lesson in treaty interpretation, diplomatic correspondence and the legal consequences of saying “acceptable” in a note verbale. Although the case arose from the Rwanda-UK Asylum Partnership Agreement (the “Asylum Partnership Agreement”), its importance extends beyond asylum policy. The […]
Indus Waters Treaty Arbitration: Can India Put the Treaty in Abeyance?
The Indus Waters Treaty arbitration has become one of the most significant treaty arbitration developments of 2026. It is no longer only about dams, rivers or hydropower. It is a test of whether a State can put a treaty “in abeyance”, refuse to participate in arbitration and still avoid the legal consequences of an arbitral […]
Arbitrations Involving International Organisations
It is widely acknowledged that international organisations proliferated in the aftermath of World War II,[1] although preliminary forms had existed earlier.[2] Major international organisations are universally recognised. These include the United Nations (UN), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), the World Trade Organisation (WTO), the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), […]
International Court of Arbitration
There are many Courts of Arbitration, but technically only one International Court of Arbitration, which refers to the ICC’s International Court of Arbitration. Somewhat confusingly for those unfamiliar with arbitration, Courts of Arbitration do not decide on the substance of disputes themselves, as this role is left to private arbitrators. We will briefly examine the […]
Arctic Sunrise Arbitration (PCA case 2014-02) – Russia to pay €5.4 million in damages
On 10 July 2017, a PCA Arbitral Tribunal seated in The Hague rendered its award on compensation in another politically sensitive arbitration between Russia and the Netherlands (also known as the “Arctic Sunrise Arbitration”). The PCA Tribunal ordered Russia to pay €5.4 million in damages to the Netherlands for the capture and detention of a […]