The DRIMAN laboratory, which was established on December 19, 2005, as a research unit in international law and elevated to a laboratory status, is celebrating its 20th anniversary. To commemorate this milestone, the laboratory, in collaboration with the German Foundation for International Legal Cooperation (IRZ), is organizing a two-day international conference on November 12-13, 2026, at the Tunis Grand Hotel. The conference, themed "International Investment Law in the Face of Contemporary Challenges: A Review of a Turbulent Era," brings together experts and scholars from Tunisia, Morocco, France, Switzerland, and Canada.
The conference aims to examine the current state of international investment law, which has been criticized for its legitimacy, while still providing security for investments. The tension between protecting foreign investors and giving states the power to regulate has become more apparent due to recent crises, including financial, health, energy, climate, and geopolitical crises. The conference will discuss the new generation of international investment agreements, standards of protection, and the modernization of investment treaties. Experts will also examine national legislations, social responsibility of enterprises, taxation, digital issues, and economic sanctions.
On the first day of the conference, experts will focus on new-generation international investment agreements, including standards of protection such as fair and equitable treatment and indirect expropriation. The modernization of investment treaties will also be discussed. The second day of the conference will be dedicated to investment arbitration, with a specific focus on issues such as state consent to arbitration, third-party funding of procedures, execution of sentences against states, and the project of a permanent jurisdiction.
The conference has attracted 25 speakers from various universities, law firms, and international institutions. The speakers include professors from the University of Tunis El Manar, as well as experts from France, Switzerland, Canada, and Morocco. The conference will feature a keynote speech by Ferhat Horchani, Dean of the Faculty of Law and Political Science at the University of Tunis El Manar, and a synthesis report by Rym Ben Khelifa, a professor at the same faculty.
The DRIMAN laboratory has been codirected by professors Ferhat Horchani and Sami Bostanji since its inception, with Sami Bostanji taking over as director in 2015. The laboratory is affiliated with the Faculty of Law and Political Science at the University of Tunis El Manar. The conference is an opportunity for experts to discuss the challenges facing international investment law and potential solutions.
The conference program includes a range of topics, from the protection of foreign investors to the role of states in regulating investments. The event aims to promote a better understanding of international investment law and its implications for states and investors. By bringing together experts from different countries and backgrounds, the conference seeks to foster dialogue and cooperation.
The 20th anniversary of the DRIMAN laboratory is a significant milestone, marking two decades of research and academic work in the field of international law. The conference is a testament to the laboratory's commitment to promoting research and discussion on international investment law and its relevance to contemporary challenges.
Key points
- The conference will examine the new generation of international investment agreements and their implications for states and investors.
- The event aims to promote a better understanding of international investment law and its implications for states and investors.
- The DRIMAN laboratory has been a leading research institution in the field of international law for 20 years.
