Kenya spends at least Sh500 million in defending a single case filed by investors at international courts under the Bilateral Investment Treaties, according to a regional trade negotiation institute.
Pakistan government is reportedly in talks with the Turkish government and M/s Karkey for an out-of-court settlement to avert attachment of Pakistan’s properties in Europe
Detailed scrutiny of the text of the recent Indonesia trade deal has revealed that there are no provisions to cancel the old 1993 Indonesia-Australia bilateral investment agreement.
The preferential protection of bilateral investments between Tanzania and the Netherlands is likely to cease next month but the protection for investments made before the date of termination continues to apply for a period of 15 years (until 1 April 2034).
The broad language in investment agreements has allowed investor-state dispute settlement tribunals to scrutinize tax measures adopted by States, and determine that such measures resulted in a breach of State’s obligations under the agreement.
Seatini said East African countries should find alternative ways to finance development projects rather than depend on public-private partnerships and bilateral investment treaties, which have cost the region dearly.