National Investment Legislation

The Kenyan Parliament and Investment Treaty Making

The Kenyan government has made parliamentary oversight and public participation a constitutionally mandated part of any BIT approval. While that same parliamentary involvement has fallen short of its desired potential, it could still play a valuable role in ensuring that BIT negotiations are open and transparent, and that the public is both aware of and engaged with the treaty-making process and what it means. This piece examines the lessons learned from Kenya’s BIT and ISDS experience to date. The author argues that the Kenyan High Court’s ruling that double taxation treaties do not require oversight and approval from the legislative branch should not set an example for the government as it considers how to revise its investment treaty-making processes.

ITN  |  October 18, 2018

Pac Rim v. El Salvador

Pac Rim Cayman LLC v. Republic of El Salvador, ICSID Case No. ARB/09/12 (Published in 2018 in International Investment Law and Sustainable Development: Key cases from the 2010s and on this […]

Government Regulatory Space in the Shadow of BITs: The Case of Tanzania’s Natural Resource Regulatory Reform

Tanzania passed three new laws in July 2017 that significantly change the regulatory landscape governing natural resources. The reforms are aimed at ensuring that foreign investment benefits Tanzanian citizens.From an African perspective, this article argues that it is time to rethink investment treaty regimes to ensure that they do not hinder much-needed reforms.

Can Bolivian State-Owned Companies Submit to International Arbitration? Analyzing Bolivia’s Intricate Legal Framework on Foreign Investment

The Bolivian government has enacted three laws—on investment, arbitration and state-owned companies—that reflect the country’s public policy on domestic and foreign investment. Investing in Bolivia requires a careful reading of the three new laws.