The Russian International Arbitration Congress (RIAC) 2026 will take place in Moscow from 21 to 27 September 2026, bringing together arbitrators, lawyers, in-house counsel, academics and representatives of arbitral institutions from across jurisdictions.
Organised by the Russian Institute of Modern Arbitration, the Congress will comprise its flagship Main Conference alongside a series of events hosted by partner organisations throughout the week. The programme covers questions ranging from party autonomy and arbitral jurisdiction to enforcement, mediation, investment arbitration, artificial intelligence and the changing landscape of cross-border disputes.
RIAC 2026 Main Conference
At the centre of the Congress is the RIAC 2026 Main Conference, scheduled for 22 September 2026 at The Carlton, Moscow.
Rather than concentrating only on recent developments, this year’s conference returns to some of the questions that have long shaped international arbitration: Who shapes the development of arbitral practice? How far should party autonomy extend? And when questions of jurisdiction arise, who ultimately has the final word, the arbitral tribunal or the courts?
The Conference will open with a dialogue between Prof. Dr. Mohamed Abdel Wahab, Founding Partner and Head of International Arbitration, Construction and Energy Groups at Zulficar & Partners, and Dr. Roman Khodykin, Partner at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner.
The first panel, “The Story of Arbitration: Who Writes, Who Tells, Who Believes?”, will look at how the international arbitration system has developed and whose legal traditions have shaped it. The discussion will also consider the growing influence of regional approaches and a familiar concern within the arbitration community, whether the process has become increasingly similar to court litigation despite its promise of greater flexibility and efficiency.
The panel brings together Dr. Nasser Mehsin Al-Adba, Dr. Victor Leginsky, Giulio Palermo, Dr. Pinky Anand and Andrey Gorlenko, and will be moderated by Vladimir Talanov.
How far does party autonomy extend?
A second panel, “When Parties Choose, but Not Decide: Limits to Party Autonomy”, takes up one of arbitration’s foundational principles.
Party autonomy allows parties considerable freedom to determine how their disputes will be resolved. That freedom, however, does not operate without limits. Mandatory law, public policy and concerns surrounding the integrity of proceedings can all affect choices made by parties.
Vsevolod Taraskin, Ali Al Hashimi, Andrey Panov, Dr. Paul Key, KC, and Dr. Christopher To will discuss where those limits should lie. Ana Stanič will moderate the session.
Tribunal or court: who decides jurisdiction?
The relationship between arbitral tribunals and national courts will come into focus during the third panel, “Who Has the Final Word? Jurisdiction and the Reach of Kompetenz-Kompetenz.”
The Kompetenz-Kompetenz principle permits an arbitral tribunal to determine questions concerning its own jurisdiction. Its practical application, however, can become more complicated when national courts are asked to intervene before, during or after arbitral proceedings.
The panel will consider how different legal systems approach that relationship and what those differences mean for parties engaged in international disputes.
Speakers include Ahmed Ibrahim, Dr. Dmitry Kaysin, Avinash Pradhan, Dr. Wei Sun and Jean-François Tossens. The discussion will be moderated by Olga Tsvetkova.
More than a one-day conference
While the Main Conference anchors RIAC 2026, aspects of the Congress will take place outside the main stage.
Partner organisations will host events across Moscow during the week, allowing participants to engage with particular jurisdictions and specialised areas of dispute resolution in smaller, focused sessions.
The programme begins on 21 September with discussions on cross-border disputes, emerging arbitral seats, mediation, enforcement and arbitral procedure.
Among the sessions scheduled for the opening day are “Anatomy of a Cross-Border Dispute”, organised by ICC Russia; “Arbitration Beyond the West: Friendly Seats and Jurisdictions”, organised by CRCICA and THE LAW; and a discussion by SIDRA on the role of the Singapore Convention on Mediation in international mediation.
Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC) will also host “Designing Enforceable Arbitration: From Tribunal Formation to Execution”, bringing attention to a concern that runs through virtually every international arbitration: ensuring that an arbitral process ultimately results in an award capable of effective enforcement.
Cross-border enforcement and jurisdictional challenges
The programme on 23 September will move into questions surrounding foreign jurisdictions, recognition and setting aside of arbitral awards, jurisdictional challenges and the assignment of claims in arbitration.
A session titled “Disputes Remain International: How Russian Parties Navigate the Global Landscape” will examine how Russian parties are approaching disputes that continue to cross national borders despite a significantly changed geopolitical and regulatory environment.
The discussions are expected to consider interactions with foreign courts and arbitral institutions as well as the practical choices confronting parties when disputes span several jurisdictions.
From Dubai and Hong Kong to artificial intelligence
The geographical scope broadens further on 24 September, with sessions examining dispute resolution in the UAE, Singapore and Hong Kong, alongside Russia-Israel business arbitration and the role of the DIFC and UAE onshore courts.
Technology will also form part of the week’s discussions, with the programme turning to artificial intelligence in international arbitration and arbitral decision-making.
The subject has assumed increasing importance for arbitration practitioners as AI tools enter legal research, document review, case preparation and other aspects of dispute resolution, raising parallel questions about reliability, confidentiality, professional responsibility and the role of human judgment.
Young practitioners and the future of arbitration
The substantive programme concludes on 25 September with discussions that look towards emerging markets and the next generation of arbitration practitioners.
Sessions will consider the growing role of the UAE as a dispute resolution centre, Dubai’s position as an international disputes hub and opportunities available to young arbitrators.
The programme will also turn towards Asia with a discussion on China-Russia economic and trade cooperation, commercial disputes and arbitration, reflecting the increasing significance of Asian jurisdictions in international dispute resolution.
International institutions come together at RIAC
RIAC 2026 is supported by a broad network of arbitral institutions, law firms, professional organisations and media partners.
The Congress’ partners include the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre (HKIAC), Singapore International Arbitration Centre (SIAC), Tashkent International Arbitration Centre (TIAC), Shanghai International Economic and Trade Arbitration Commission (SHIAC), Cairo Regional Centre for International Commercial Arbitration (CRCICA) and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), among others.
Speakers at the Main Conference similarly represent a range of jurisdictions, including India, Singapore, the UAE, the United Kingdom, Oman and China, giving the discussions a distinctly comparative character.
SCC Online is a Media Partner of the Russian International Arbitration Congress 2026.
RIAC 2026 at a glance
Dates: 21—27 September 2026
Main Conference: 22 September 2026
Venue: The Carlton, Moscow
Organiser: Russian Institute of Modern Arbitration
Main Conference participation fee: RUB 45,000
In-house counsel: Free participation
The Main Conference ticket also provides admission to the RIAC 2026 Grand Opening Ceremony.
With a full week of institutional events, focused discussions and networking alongside the Main Conference, RIAC 2026 offers practitioners an opportunity to engage with both established principles and newer pressures shaping international arbitration.
For the international arbitration community, the Congress will provide a forum to compare how those questions are being answered across jurisdictions, and where the practice of international dispute resolution may be heading next.
SCC Times is proud to be associated with RIAC 2026 as its Media Partner.