In 2024, the National and International Arbitration Centre of the Lima Chamber of Commerce (the “Centre”) marked 31 years of providing high-level arbitration services. Established in 1993, the Centre has become a pillar of dispute resolution in Peru and a leading institution in Latin America. Over the last three decades, it has successfully administered more than 8,000 arbitration cases while building an impressive roster of 480 distinguished national and international arbitrators. These accomplishments reflect the Centre’s unwavering commitment to fostering trust and excellence in arbitration.
The Centre’s long-standing reputation is founded on its dedication to ethical practices, transparency, and efficiency. Businesses and investors, both national and international, value the Centre’s ability to resolve disputes swiftly and impartially. At the heart of this commitment lies the Superior Council of Arbitration (the “Council”), which ensures adherence to the highest ethical standards while promoting fairness and trust among all users. The Council’s oversight extends to matters of transparency, particularly in cases where confidentiality provisions might otherwise limit visibility.
Supporting this framework of integrity is the Arbitral Secretariat, a team of highly skilled professionals with unparalleled experience administering diverse and complex disputes. The Secretariat ensures that proceedings run smoothly, with a level of operational efficiency that has become synonymous with the Centre’s name. By offering expert guidance throughout the arbitral process, the Secretariat plays a vital role in maintaining the Centre’s reputation for professionalism and effectiveness.
Efficiency is a hallmark of the National and International Arbitration Centre of the Lima Chamber of Commerce. The Centre has streamlined its procedures to ensure that disputes are resolved in a timely manner, providing parties with practical and reliable solutions. To achieve greater efficiency and predictability, the Centre has recently incorporated a rule requiring that the arbitral tribunal, together with the parties, agree on a procedural calendar at the outset of the proceedings with fixed deadlines for the exchange of pleadings, the holding of the hearing on the merits and jurisdiction, and the rendering of the final award. Adopting this novel approach has reduced the overall duration of arbitral proceedings by approximately 30%. This focus on expediency, coupled with a commitment to impartiality, underscores the Centre’s role as a trusted partner in dispute resolution for businesses navigating both domestic and international conflicts.
Furthermore, the National and International Arbitration Centre of the Lima Chamber of Commerce is a pioneer in transparency-related initiatives, having launched in 2019 a digital platform called the “Transparency Lighthouse” that provides key information on arbitrators and arbitrations administered by the Centre. The platform provides valuable data on an arbitrator’s professional experience, track record, and potential conflicts of interest. The platform moreover provides access to the full text of awards in cases involving the State as well as anonymized summaries of private disputes. This tool, which is constantly updated, encourages informed decision-making in the arbitrator selection process; fosters ethical standards and efficiency; and supports academic research, promoting transparency and quality in Peru’s arbitration practice.
The Centre has also been proactive in promoting the inclusion of arbitration clauses in contracts. This initiative aligns with its broader mission to embed arbitration as the preferred mechanism for resolving disputes in Peru and beyond. Through outreach efforts and close collaboration with the legal and business communities, the Centre has helped to elevate arbitration as the cornerstone of dispute resolution in both national and international transactions.
Beyond traditional arbitration, the Centre has expanded its services to include the administration of dispute boards, which are increasingly utilized in the resolution of conflicts arising during large-scale engineering and construction projects. This proactive approach to dispute resolution not only prevents conflicts from escalating but also promotes collaboration and trust among stakeholders in high-stakes projects. These specialized services underscore the Centre’s ability to address the unique needs of various industries and sectors while maintaining its overarching commitment to fairness and efficiency.
The Centre’s enduring success is a testament to its ability to adapt to the evolving needs of its users while upholding the core values that have defined it for over 30 years. As the arbitration landscape continues to develop, the National and International Arbitration Centre of the Lima Chamber of Commerce is poised to remain at the forefront, offering world-class services while maintaining its status as a trusted arbitral institution.
