International Arbitration

International Arbitration Act

Promulgated in 2017, South Africa’s International Arbitration Act incorporates the UNCITRAL Model Law, aligning the country with global best practice and signalling a strong commitment to international commercial arbitration.

International Arbitration Act

The International Arbitration Act 15 of 2017 was promulgated on 20 December 2017, which marks a significant development in international arbitration in South Africa. The Act incorporates the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration of 1985, amended in 2006 (UNCITRAL Model Law), which is universally recognised as the single most important legislative instrument in international commercial arbitration practice. This long-waited piece of legislation is a positive and encouraging message to the international business community.

AFSA offers administered arbitration under South Africa’s International Arbitration Act, 2017 (incorporating the UNCITRAL Model Law), providing parties with a trusted framework, expert panels, and institutional support for resolving complex cross-border disputes under clear, modern rules.”

About us

AFSA administers trusted, confidential dispute resolution across Southern Africa and beyond, managing domestic and international disputes through world-class mediation, arbitration, and related processes with integrity and efficiency.

The Arbitration Foundation of Southern Africa (AFSA) is a non-profit dispute resolution authority that administers and manages the confidential resolution of a wide range of domestic and international disputes through administered mediation, arbitration, and related processes. AFSA’s head office is in Sandton, Johannesburg, with branch offices in Cape Town, Pretoria, Durban, and the Garden Route.