Here in Miami where my international law practice is based, international arbitration has been widely used for its ability to resolve even the most challenging global business disputes.
Whether the dispute is over an investment or commercial claim, international arbitration has gained wide-spread acceptance among the international business community for its flexibility and efficiency in resolving conflicts.
Perhaps the biggest benefit provided by international arbitration is the ability to enforce an arbitral award in more than 140 countries, including most major countries involved in significant international trade and economic transactions.
This is because the majority of countries have signed onto the Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards or the “New York Convention” as its more widely known.
The Convention’s principal aim is that foreign and non-domestic arbitral awards will not be discriminated against and it obliges Parties to ensure such awards are recognized and generally capable of enforcement in their jurisdiction in the same way as domestic awards.
These provisions of the New York Convention, together with the large number of contracting states, has created an international legal regime that significantly favors the enforcement of international arbitration agreements and awards.
The signatories to the New York Convention are as follows:
| State | Signature | Ratification, Accession or Succession |
Entry into force | |
| Afghanistan (a), (b) | 30 November 2004 (a) | 28 February 2005 | ||
| Albania | 27 June 2001 (a) | 25 September 2001 | ||
| Algeria (a), (b) | 7 February 1989 (a) | 8 May 1989 | ||
| Antigua and Barbuda (a), (b) | 2 February 1989 (a) | 3 May 1989 | ||
| Argentina (a), (b) | 26 August 1958 | 14 March 1989 | 12 June 1989 | |
| Armenia (a), (b) | 29 December 1997 (a) | 29 March 1998 | ||
| Australia | 26 March 1975 (a) | 24 June 1975 | ||
| Austria | 2 May 1961 (a) | 31 July 1961 | ||
| Azerbaijan | 29 February 2000 (a) | 29 May 2000 | ||
| Bahamas | 20 December 2006 (a) | 20 March 2007 | ||
| Bahrain (a), (b) | 6 April 1988 (a) | 5 July 1988 | ||
| Bangladesh | 6 May 1992 (a) | 4 August 1992 | ||
| Barbados (a), (b) | 16 March 1993 (a) | 14 June 1993 | ||
| Belarus (e) | 29 December 1958 | 15 November 1960 | 13 February 1961 | |
| Belgium (a) | 10 June 1958 | 18 August 1975 | 16 November 1975 | |
| Benin | 16 May 1974 (a) | 14 August 1974 | ||
| Bolivia (Plurinational State of) | 28 April 1995 (a) | 27 July 1995 | ||
| Bosnia and Herzegovina (a), (b), (f) |
1 September 1993 (s) | 6 March 1992 | ||
| Botswana (a), (b) | 20 December 1971 (a) | 19 March 1972 | ||
| Brazil | 7 June 2002 (a) | 5 September 2002 | ||
| Brunei Darussalam (a) | 25 July 1996 (a) | 23 October 1996 | ||
| Bulgaria (a), (e) | 17 December 1958 | 10 October 1961 | 8 January 1962 | |
| Burkina Faso | 23 March 1987 (a) | 21 June 1987 | ||
| Cambodia | 5 January 1960 (a) | 4 April 1960 | ||
| Cameroon | 19 February 1988 (a) | 19 May 1988 | ||
| Canada (h) | 12 May 1986 (a) | 10 August 1986 | ||
| Central African Republic (a), (b) | 15 October 1962 (a) | 13 January 1963 | ||
| Chile | 4 September 1975 (a) | 3 December 1975 | ||
| China (a), (b), (j) | 22 January 1987 (a) | 22 April 1987 | ||
| Colombia | 25 September 1979 (a) | 24 December 1979 | ||
| Cook Islands | 12 January 2009 (a) | 12 April 2009 | ||
| Costa Rica | 10 June 1958 | 26 October 1987 | 24 January 1988 | |
| Côte d’ Ivoire | 1 February 1991 (a) | 2 May 1991 | ||
| Croatia (a), (b), (f) | 26 July 1993 (s) | 8 October 1991 | ||
| Cuba (a), (b) | 30 December 1974 (a) | 30 March 1975 | ||
| Cyprus (a), (b) | 29 December 1980 (a) | 29 March 1981 | ||
| Czech Republic | 30 September 1993 (s) | 1 January 1993 | ||
| Denmark (a), (b), (c) | 22 December 1972 (a) | 22 March 1973 | ||
| Djibouti | 14 June 1983 (s) | 27 June 1977 | ||
| Dominica | 28 October 1988 (a) | 26 January 1989 | ||
| Dominican Republic | 11 April 2002 (a) | 10 July 2002 | ||
| Ecuador (a), (b) | 17 December 1958 | 3 January 1962 | 3 April 1962 | |
| Egypt | 9 March 1959 (a) | 7 June 1959 | ||
| El Salvador | 10 June 1958 | 26 February 1998 | 27 May 1998 | |
| Estonia | 30 August 1993 (a) | 28 November 1993 | ||
| Fiji | 27 September 2010 | 26 December 2010 | ||
| Finland | 29 December 1958 | 19 January 1962 | 19 April 1962 | |
| France (a) | 25 November 1958 | 26 June 1959 | 24 September 1959 | |
| Gabon | 15 December 2006 (a) | 15 March 2007 | ||
| Georgia | 2 June 1994 (a) | 31 August 1994 | ||
| Germany (a) | 10 June 1958 | 30 June 1961 | 28 September 1961 | |
| Ghana | 9 April 1968 (a) | 8 July 1968 | ||
| Greece (a), (b) | 16 July 1962 (a) | 14 October 1962 | ||
| Guatemala (a), (b) | 21 March 1984 (a) | 19 June 1984 | ||
| Guinea | 23 January 1991 (a) | 23 April 1991 | ||
| Haiti | 5 December 1983 (a) | 4 March 1984 | ||
| Holy See (a), (b) | 14 May 1975 (a) | 12 August 1975 | ||
| Honduras | 3 October 2000 (a) | 1 January 2001 | ||
| Hungary (a), (b) | 5 March 1962 (a) | 3 June 1962 | ||
| Iceland | 24 January 2002 (a) | 24 April 2002 | ||
| India (a), (b) | 10 June 1958 | 13 July 1960 | 11 October 1960 | |
| Indonesia (a), (b) | 7 October 1981 (a) | 5 January 1982 | ||
| Iran (Islamic Rep. of) (a), (b) | 15 October 2001 (a) | 13 January 2002 | ||
| Ireland (a) | 12 May 1981 (a) | 10 August 1981 | ||
| Israel | 10 June 1958 | 5 January 1959 | 7 June 1959 | |
| Italy | 31 January 1969 (a) | 1 May 1969 | ||
| Jamaica (a), (b) | 10 July 2002 (a) | 8 October 2002 | ||
| Japan (a) | 20 June 1961 (a) | 18 September 1961 | ||
| Jordan | 10 June 1958 | 15 November 1979 | 13 February 1980 | |
| Kazakhstan | 20 November 1995 (a) | 18 February 1996 | ||
| Kenya (a) | 10 February 1989 (a) | 11 May 1989 | ||
| Korea (Republic of) (a), (b) | 8 February 1973 (a) | 9 May 1973 | ||
| Kuwait (a) | 28 April 1978 (a) | 27 July 1978 | ||
| Kyrgyzstan | 18 December 1996 (a) | 18 March 1997 | ||
| Lao People’s Democratic Republic |
17 June 1998 (a) | 15 September 1998 | ||
| Latvia | 14 April 1992 (a) | 13 July 1992 | ||
| Lebanon (a) | 11 August 1998 (a) | 9 November 1998 | ||
| Lesotho | 13 June 1989 (a) | 11 September 1989 | ||
| Liberia | 16 September 2005 (a) | 15 December 2005 | ||
| Liechtenstein (a) | 7 july 2011 | 5 October 2011 | ||
| Lithuania (e) | 14 March 1995 (a) | 12 June 1995 | ||
| Luxembourg (a) | 11 November 1958 | 9 September 1983 | 8 December 1983 | |
| Madagascar (a), (b) | 16 July 1962 (a) | 14 October 1962 | ||
| Malaysia (a), (b) | 5 November 1985 (a) | 3 February 1986 | ||
| Mali | 8 September 1994 (a) | 7 December 1994 | ||
| Malta (a), (f) | 22 June 2000 (a) | 20 September 2000 | ||
| Marshall Islands | 21 December 2006 (a) | 21 March 2007 | ||
| Mauritania | 30 January 1997 (a) | 30 April 1997 | ||
| Mauritius (a) | 19 June 1996 (a) | 17 September 1996 | ||
| Mexico | 14 April 1971 (a) | 13 July 1971 | ||
| Moldova (a), (f) | 18 September 1998 (a) | 17 December 1998 | ||
| Monaco (a), (b) | 31 December 1958 | 2 June 1982 | 31 August 1982 | |
| Mongolia (a), (b) | 24 October 1994 (a) | 22 January 1995 | ||
| Montenegro (a), (b), (f) | 23 October 2006 (s) | 3 June 2006 | ||
| Morocco (a) | 12 February 1959 (a) | 7 June 1959 | ||
| Mozambique (a) | 11 June 1998 (a) | 9 September 1998 | ||
| Nepal (a), (b) | 4 March 1998 (a) | 2 June 1998 | ||
| Netherlands (a),(d) | 10 June 1958 | 24 April 1964 | 23 July 1964 | |
| New Zealand (a) | 6 January 1983 (a) | 6 April 1983 | ||
| Nicaragua | 24 September 2003 (a) | 23 December 2003 | ||
| Niger | 14 October 1964 (a) | 12 January 1965 | ||
| Nigeria (a), (b) | 17 March 1970 (a) | 15 June 1970 | ||
| Norway (a), (i) | 14 March 1961 (a) | 12 June 1961 | ||
| Oman | 25 February 1999 (a) | 26 May 1999 | ||
| Pakistan (a) | 30 December 1958 | 14 July 2005 | 12 October 2005 | |
| Panama | 10 October 1984 (a) | 8 January 1985 | ||
| Paraguay | 8 October 1997 (a) | 6 January 1998 | ||
| Peru | 7 July 1988 (a) | 5 October 1988 | ||
| Philippines (a), (b) | 10 June 1958 | 6 July 1967 | 4 October 1967 | |
| Poland (a), (b) | 10 June 1958 | 3 October 1961 | 1 January 1962 | |
| Portugal (a) | 18 October 1994 (a) | 16 January 1995 | ||
| Qatar | 30 December 2002 (a) | 30 March 2003 | ||
| Romania (a), (b), (e) | 13 September 1961 (a) | 12 December 1961 | ||
| Russian Federation (e) | 29 December 1958 | 24 August 1960 | 22 November 1960 | |
| Rwanda | 31 October 2008 | 29 January 2009 | ||
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (a), (b) |
12 September 2000 (a) | 11 December 2000 | ||
| San Marino | 17 May 1979 (a) | 15 August 1979 | ||
| Saudi Arabia (a) | 19 April 1994 (a) | 18 July 1994 | ||
| Senegal | 17 October 1994 (a) | 15 January 1995 | ||
| Serbia (a), (b), (f) | 12 March 2001 (s) | 27 April 1992 | ||
| Singapore (a) | 21 August 1986 (a) | 19 November 1986 | ||
| Slovakia (i) (m) | 28 May 1993 (s) | 1 January 1993 | ||
| Slovenia (f),(k) | 6 July 1992 (s) | 25 June 1991 | ||
| South Africa | 3 May 1976 (a) | 1 August 1976 | ||
| Spain | 12 May 1977 (a) | 10 August 1977 | ||
| Sri Lanka | 30 December 1958 | 9 April 1962 | 8 July 1962 | |
| Surinam | 24 April 1964 (extension by The Netherlands) | continued after independence by declaration of 29.11.1975 | ||
| Sweden | 23 December 1958 | 28 January 1972 | 27 April 1972 | |
| Switzerland | 29 December 1958 | 1 June 1965 | 30 August 1965 | |
| Syrian Arab Republic | 9 March 1959 (a) | 7 June 1959 | ||
| Tanzania (United Republic of) (a) | 13 October 1964 (a) | 12 January 1965 | ||
| Thailand | 21 December 1959 (a) | 20 March 1960 | ||
| The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (b), (f), (l) |
10 March 1994 (s) | 17 November 1991 | ||
| Trinidad and Tobago (a), (b) | 14 February 1966 (a) | 15 May 1966 | ||
| Tunisia (a), (b) | 17 July 1967 (a) | 15 October 1967 | ||
| Turkey (a), (b) | 2 July 1992 (a) | 30 September 1992 | ||
| Uganda (a) | 12 February 1992 (a) | 12 May 1992 | ||
| Ukraine (e) | 29 December 1958 | 10 October 1960 | 8 January 1961 | |
| United Arab Emirates | 21 August 2006 (a) | 19 November 2006 | ||
| United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (a),(g) |
24 September 1975 (a) | 23 December 1975 | ||
| United States of America (a), (b) | 30 September 1970 (a) | 29 December 1970 | ||
| Uruguay | 30 March 1983 (a) | 28 June 1983 | ||
| Uzbekistan | 7 February 1996 (a) | 7 May 1996 | ||
| Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) (a), (b) | 8 February 1995 (a) | 9 May 1995 | ||
| Vietnam (a), (b), (e), (e) | 12 September 1995 (a) | 11 December 1995 | ||
| Zambia | 14 March 2002 (a) | 12 June 2002 | ||
| Zimbabwe | 29 September 1994 (a) | 28 December 1994 |