The College of Law of at Hamad Bin Khalifa University took part in the Colloquium on International Investment Law and State Capitalism, a virtual event, in October. 
It was co-organised with Dr Anastasios Gourgourinis, lecturer at the Athens Public International Law Centre (Athens PIL) at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, and Dr Panos Delimatsis, professor and director of the Tilburg Law and Economics Centre at Tilburg University.
The event brought together participants from academia, international organisations, government and non-governmental organisations and the private sector to discuss a variety of issues and subjects on the interplay between domestic and international state capitalism and international investment law.
This included panel discussions on the foundations of the international economic order in the age of state capitalism, international dispute settlement, and more.
The colloquium also featured a keynote speech by Robert Howse, Lloyd C Nelson Professor of International Law at New York University School of Law, moderated by the World Bank’s Roberto Echandi, as well as contributions from the co-organisers and attendees.
HBKU was represented by Dr Susan L Karamanian, dean of the College of Law, and Dr Georgios Dimitropoulos, who was instrumental in organising the colloquium. Beyond opening remarks, Dr Karamanian chaired a panel on substantive rights, obligations and exceptions in the age of state capitalism. The discussion featured contributions by noted academics from the University of Bonn, King’s College London and Tilburg University.
Besides co-organising the event, Dr Dimitropoulos chaired a panel entitled State Capitalism and Sovereign Investors: Between Global Governance and National Sovereignty. He also offered his perspectives during a discussion on adjudicating state capitalism.
Speaking after the colloquium, Dr Karamanian, said: “Organising any event under the current circumstances is a challenge; however, the Colloquium on International Investment Law and State Capitalism exceeded all expectations. The subject matter across the two days was on point with plenty of opportunities for participation by an equally knowledgeable audience. Credit is also due to the Athens Public International Law Centre at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens School of Law, and the Tilburg Law and Economics Centre at Tilburg University for making this event happen.”