South Africa’s Finance Sector Looks to Arbitration Amid Rising Cross-Border Disputes –JAW 2026

With South Africa’s financial landscape increasingly shaped by international lending, project finance and regulatory challenges, arbitration has emerged as a critical safeguard against cross-border risks.

AFSA CEO Andile Nikani encourages finance sector professionals to attend Johannesburg Arbitration Week (JAW) 2026, taking place in Sandton this May, to gain practical strategies for managing cross-border risks, protecting investments and securing enforceable outcomes.

"Over the past year, arbitration has delivered swift, binding resolutions that courts alone cannot match – ensuring stability in volatile cross-border environments,” Nikani says.

Nikani cites the South African Reserve Bank–Ibex Holdings settlement, concluded in late July 2025 after seven years of regulatory enforcement and High Court litigation over R6.3 billion in alleged exchange control breaches. "The contrast is stark," he says. "While such regulatory sagas drag on through administrative orders, court reviews and protracted negotiations, arbitration offers a private, efficient alternative for comparable finance disputes.”

Under the theme Arbitration In A Fragmented Global Order: The Future Of Trade, Investment And Sustainable Development, JAW 2026 will feature panels such as “BRICS, AfCFTA & the Fading Rules-Based Order” and “The Impact of Sanctions on International Arbitration and Enforcement”. “These sessions will equip attendees with insights into treaty risks and sovereign exposures,” Nikani notes. He adds that finance leaders will learn how arbitration clauses can shield debt security amid BRICS expansion and sanctions regimes.

“Is your cross-border exposure properly protected?” asks Nikani. JAW 2026 will help professionals turn abstract risks into actionable plans. "It is ideal for those handling international lending or navigating regulatory challenges,” he concludes.

JAW 2026 will take place from 5-7 May at the Sandton Convention Centre, in Johannesburg.

To register for this important industry event visit https://johannesburgarbitrationweek.co.za/.