For information only - not an official document

UNIS/L/209
6 November 2014

The Democratic Republic of the Congo accedes to the Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards

153rd Country to Become Party to the Convention

VIENNA, 6 November (UN Information Service) - The Democratic Republic of the Congo has deposited its instrument of accession to the Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards, commonly known as the New York Convention. With its accession, the Democratic Republic of the Congo becomes the 153rd State party to the Convention. The Convention will enter into force for the Democratic Republic of the Congo on 3 February 2015.

The New York Convention is widely recognized as a foundation instrument of international arbitration. It requires courts of contracting States to give effect to arbitration agreements and to recognize and enforce awards made in other States, subject to specific limited exceptions.

Further information on UNCITRAL texts is available on the UNCITRAL website at www.uncitral.org.

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The United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) is the core legal body of the United Nations system in the field of international trade law. Its mandate is to remove legal obstacles to international trade by progressively modernizing and harmonizing trade law. It prepares legal texts in a number of key areas such as international commercial dispute settlement, electronic commerce, insolvency, international payments, sale of goods, transport law, procurement and infrastructure development. UNCITRAL also provides technical assistance to law reform activities, including assisting Member States to review and assess their law reform needs and to draft the legislation required to implement UNCITRAL texts. The UNCITRAL Secretariat is located in Vienna, Austria.

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For information contact:

Timothy Lemay
Principal Legal Officer
UNCITRAL Secretariat
Email: timothy.lemay[at]uncitral.org