Published on 24 September 2026 in Newsletters
E-Newsletter – Summer 2026
Firm News
The summer of 2026 has seen numerous significant developments in relation to public international law. Throughout this period, Volterra Fietta has continued to advise clients on some of the world’s most important public international law issues and contentious matters.
The last few months have also seen a number of significant developments across the international legal landscape, including in relation to international trade, bilateral relations and the law of the sea. In this newsletter, Volterra Fietta highlights key recent developments in international trade and investment, foreign relations, the law of the sea and international energy markets.
Recent developments in public international
United Kingdom and Switzerland conclude negotiations on an enhanced free trade agreement
On 13 July 2026, the United Kingdom and the Swiss Confederation announced the conclusion of negotiations on an enhanced free trade agreement (“FTA”). This followed ten rounds of negotiations to modernise the two States’ bilateral framework, which were launched in 2023. The Parties have indicated that they anticipate the final technical edits to be finalised by the end of 2026, with the treaty entering into force subsequently.
The enhanced FTA will succeed the UK-Switzerland Trade Agreement, which had entered into force on 1 January 2021. That agreement in turn had significantly replicated the pre-existing arrangements between the European Union and Switzerland dating from 1972 which was focused principally on trade in goods.
Canada and Saudi Arabia Signed MoUs to Deepen Bilateral Relationship
From 8 to 10 July 2026, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud met in Jeddah to discuss bilateral relations and regional developments. The visit yielded the signing of 13 new Memorandum of Understandings (MOUs) and commercial agreements across trade, investment, energy, mining and natural resources, technology, education, health, people-to-people ties, and defence.
Two Critical Chokepoints and Their Lessons for Global Energy Markets
The Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandeb are two of the world’s most critical maritime chokepoints. From October 2023, the Houthi movement launched a sustained campaign of drone and missile strikes against commercial vessels transiting the Bab al-Mandeb, the narrow strait connecting the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. This prompted major shipping lines to reroute via the Cape of Good Hope and leading to the establishment of Operation Prosperity Guardian by the United States in January 2024. The events in the Bab al-Mandeb offer a critical lens through which to assess the current situation now unfolding in the Strait of Hormuz.
Robert G Voltera Speaks at Asia International Arbitration Centre London Roundtable
On 17 July 2026, Volterra Fietta partner Robert G Volterra spoke at the Asia International Arbitration Centre London Roundtable on “Artificial Justice: Deciphering AI-Generated Fairness in Arbitration”. Robert discussed the growing use of AI in legal practice and dispute resolution, focusing on the limits of current AI tools and the risks associated with their use.
Recent and upcoming events
Recent:
- In June 2026, partner Ahmed Abdel-Hakam published an article on “Protecting sensitive investments in the tech sector – Litigation vs Arbitration” in the International Journal of Family Office.
- In June 2026, partner Ahmed Abdel-Hakam published an article on “Litigation Advice Privilege” in the law society gazette.
- On 10 June 2026, partner Ahmed Abdel-Hakam delivered a seminar on “How to respond to a Request for Arbitration: Strategic considerations for the Respondent State”.
- On 11 June 2026, partner Gunjan Sharma spoke on a panel titled “Sovereign Enforcement in a Geopolitical Recession” at the Asset Recovery CEE conference organised by Bearstone as part of Warsaw Arbitration Week.
- On 17 June 2026, partner Ahmed Abdel-Hakam delivered a seminar on “Commercial arbitration v Litigation against a State or a state-owned entity”.
- On 18 June 2026, partner Peter Flint delivered a seminar on “The Changing Trade Relationship between the US and Canada: Navigating Washington’s Demands for a Wholesale USMCA Revision”.
- On 22 June 2026, counsel Florentine Vos gave a lecture on “International Court of Justice in Maritime Dispute Settlement” during the national academic capacity-building training for Filipinos at the Philippine International Law of the Sea Academy (PHILSEA).
- On 22 June 2026, counsel Florentine Vos gave a lecture on “Climate Litigation at the ICJ and beyond” during the short course on Contemporary Developments from international Courts and Tribunals at the T.M.C. Asser Institute.
- In July 2026, partner Ahmed Abdel-Hakam spoke at a conference co-organised by CIARB London and CIARB Qatar on “Arbitration in times of crisis”.
- On 1 July 2026, partner Ahmed Abdel-Hakam delivered a seminar on “Mitigating the risk of disputes with Host States”.
- On 2 July 2026, partner Robert G Volterra, partner Ahmed Abdel-Hakam, counsel Florentine Vos and associate Magdalena Kowalczuk Asher delivered an in-person seminar for diplomats on “Practical aspects of litigating land and maritime disputes before the ICJ and other international courts and tribunals”.
- On 2 July 2026, partner Gunjan Sharma delivered an in-person seminar for diplomats on “Recent developments in the Strait of Hormuz”.
- On 3 July 2026, partner Gunjan Sharma and counsel Florentine Vos delivered a seminar on “The use of experts and witness in ICJ litigation”.
- On 15 July 2026, partner Ahmed Abdel-Hakam delivered a seminar on “Conducting an arbitration against a sovereign State or a State-owned entity: Strategic considerations”.
- On 17 July 2026, partner Robert G Volterra spoke on a panel titled “Artificial Justice: Deciphering AI-Generated Fairness in Arbitration” at the Asia International Arbitration Centre (AIAC) London Roundtable, co-organised with 39 Essex Chambers.
- On 21 July 2026, partner Robert G Volterra, associate Magdalena Kowalczuk Asher and associate Ramalingam Vallinayagam delivered a seminar on “Bifurcation in Investment Treaty Arbitration: Pros, Cons, Do’s and Don’ts”.
- On 23 July 2026, partner Robert G Volterra and associate Colleen Graffy delivered an in-person seminar to diplomats on “Diplomatic exemption to the London congestion charge: will the UK follow the US precedent in New York City?”.
- On 27 August 2026, staff lawyer Brian Sukianto spoke on a panel on “Navigating Careers in International Law Firms: Pathways, Strategies, and Preparing Indonesian Legal Talent for Global Practice” organised by the Transnational Business Law Department, Faculty of Law at Universitas Padjajaran.
- On 9 September 2026, partner Ahmed Abdel-Hakam delivered a seminar on “Jurisdiction of an investment treaty Tribunal”.
- On 10 September 2026, partner Robert G Volterra, associate Ramalingam Vallinayagam, associate Rhianna Vonk and associate Sebastian Morales delivered a seminar on “The ABCs of early-stage political risk assessment for foreign investors”.
Upcoming:
- On 16 September 2026, partner Ahmed Abdel-Hakam will deliver a seminar on “Leveraging local courts in arbitration proceedings against a State or State-owned entity”.
- On 16 September 2026, partner Robert G Volterra, partner Gunjan Sharma and counsel Florentine Vos will deliver a seminar on “The key to winning advocacy in investment treaty arbitration: how to plead to arbitrators who do not really know public international law, and how to plead to arbitrators who do not really know commerce or economics”.
- On 21 September 2026, partner Robert G Volterra will speak on “Investment Arbitration in a Changing World: In Search of Firm Ground for Foreign Capital” on the panel titled “Anatomy of a Cross-Border Dispute”, held during Russia International Arbitration Conference 2026.
- On 21 September 2026, partner Robert G Volterra will speak on the panel titled “Investment Arbitration in a Changing World: In Search of Solid Ground for Foreign Capital“ at the Russian International Arbitration Congress.
- On 14 October 2026, partner Ahmed Abdel-Hakam will deliver a seminar on “Burden of proof in investment treaty arbitration: Who should prove what?”.
- On 15 October 2026, partner Robert G Volterra will speak on “Inter-State joint development area disputes“ on the panel titled “Dispute Resolution in the International Energy Business“ organised by LCIA and AIEN’s.
- On 21 October 2026, partner Ahmed Abdel-Hakam will deliver a seminar on “Conducting negotiations and mediating with a sovereign State”.
- In November 2026, partner Ahmed Abdel-Hakam has been invited by the Peruvian Institute of Arbitration, to speak at the International Conference on Investment Arbitration, in Lima, Peru.
- On 11 November 2026, partner Ahmed Abdel-Hakam will deliver a seminar on “How to deal with proceedings parallel to an ongoing investment treaty arbitration”.
- On 18 November 2026, partner Ahmed Abdel-Hakam will deliver a seminar on “Strategic advocacy in disputes with a sovereign State”.
- On 9 December 2026, partner Ahmed Abdel-Hakam will deliver a seminar on “Provisional measures in investment treaty disputes”.
- On 16 December 2026, partner Ahmed Abdel-Hakam will deliver a seminar on “Dealing with a State’s non-compliance with its contractual obligations: strategic considerations”.
- On 13 January 2027, partner Ahmed Abdel-Hakam will deliver a seminar on “Quantum evaluation in investment treaty disputes”.
- On 20 January 2027, partner Ahmed Abdel-Hakam will deliver a seminar on “Navigating arbitrators’ duties and counsel’s professional conduct obligations”.
- On 10 February 2027, partner Ahmed Abdel-Hakam will deliver a seminar on “Enforcement of an investment treaty award: strategic considerations for the Claimant”.
- On 17 February 2027, partner Ahmed Abdel-Hakam will deliver a seminar on “How to select the most appropriate expert for your dispute”.
- On 10 March 2027, partner Ahmed Abdel-Hakam will deliver a seminar on “Enforcement of an investment treaty award: strategic considerations for the Respondent”.
If you would like to be added to Volterra Fietta’s invitation list for future events, please email your name and affiliation to info@volterrafietta.com.
