Which cases remain outstanding? Well, all of them really.JIN...

Which cases remain outstanding? Well, all of them really.

JIN CHENG v AVZ: The initial case against Jin Cheng has been heard, so just waiting for the ruling on that. If we succeed on that one then that is probably it re: Jin Cheng. Though there remains a possibility that the ICC decides JC is allowed to have its actual case heard at the ICC, should we lose the jurisdictional challenge, then in that instance the case would drag on for some time. However I think thats unlikely.

AVZ v DATHOMIR: No date has been set yet for the case to be heard. Things are travelling along though, with AVZ submitting its claim statement in Nov 2023 and Dathomir due to have their response submitted by March 2024. Theoretically the ICC should then table the case to be heard within a few months, say by around mid-2024. If this scheduling holds up and we don't get any further delays, or if it's tabled earlier, then it seems plausible that we may see an outcome in approx 10 months or so, perhaps around the end of the year.

AVZ v COMINIERE: This case launched in April 2023 is likely a ways away from being heard yet. There has been no dates released that I've seen for the next steps, and the last direct AVZ announcement talking about the broader elements of this case being heard, aka 'the meat', just said that it will be heard by a 3-judge panel "in due course". Maybe later this year, with an award some time in 2025? That result would fit around a 2-year timeline you mentioned as an average for ICC cases. So this one is clearly a ways from conclusion. I feel it's a very important one though, so hope we near news of progress soon.

AVZ v DRC: Regarding the ICSID case AVZ launched in June 2023, that's nowhere near to being concluded. And I hope it never gets there, as that will be admitting defeat I feel if that goes all the way through to award. The Tribunal has been constituted and they've gone through the provisional measures request, as you know. However there's a long process yet to come, through the various written submissions required to go back and forth, along with potential oral procedural hearinga and/or management conferences etc. This process can be expected to take multiple years from start to finish, and longer than the average ICC case. I wouldn't expect any final outcome until 2026 or later. Hopefully we don't get there though, and I don't think it will personally, especially should other cases go our way as expected.

But basically what I was saying is that the 'main hearing' section of our legal cases have not been heard or even in some cases tabled yet, so it may be a bit misleading to characterize them as nearly concluded. Except for JC, that could plausibly (and hopefully) end soon, should we win the jurisdictional challenge.

I think though that given how things have played out at the various emergency hearings or interim measures hearings, we will almost certainly win all our legal cases. What's been released so far suggests the elements of the issues that have been investigated fall in our favor.

Hopefully we don't need to go the full distance though.