CIIAM and Medellín Chamber of Commerce form international arbitration alliance

The Madrid International and Ibero-American Arbitration Center (CIIAM) and the Conciliation, Arbitration and Amicable Settlement Center of the Medellín Chamber of Commerce for Antioquia (CCMA) have entered into an alliance aimed at strengthening their international arbitration activities and expanding CIIAM’s presence across Ibero-America.

Under the agreement, CCMA will refer its international arbitration activity to CIIAM as a collaborating associate, while continuing to administer its domestic cases.

The agreement was signed by Lina Vélez de Nicholls, Executive President of the Medellín Chamber of Commerce for Antioquia, and Adolfo Díaz-Ambrona, President of the Madrid Association for International Arbitration.

The alliance was formally presented in Medellín by Jorge Villegas Betancur, Vice President of Legal and Corporate Affairs at the Medellín Chamber of Commerce for Antioquia, and José María Alonso, President of CIIAM.

Javier Íscar, Vice President of CIIAM, and Marta Lalaguna, Secretary General of CIIAM, also participated.

The signing was accompanied by an event for Medellín’s legal, arbitration and business community to present the agreement and introduce arbitrators, lawyers and other professionals in the region to CIIAM’s operations and opportunities.

International arbitrations to be referred to CIIAM

A central feature of the agreement is the mechanism established for future international arbitration proceedings administered by the Medellín institution.

CCMA will refer to CIIAM all international arbitration proceedings arising from contracts signed after January 1, 2027.

For disputes arising from contracts signed before that date, users will have the option of referring them to CIIAM.

CCMA will continue to administer its domestic arbitration proceedings.

The Colombian institution will also become an additional CIIAM operational point in the region and will have a representative on CIIAM’s Plenary.

Medellín becomes a new operational point

The alliance is intended to strengthen CIIAM’s material, financial and human resources as it continues to expand its presence in Ibero-America.

The Conciliation, Arbitration and Amicable Settlement Center of the Medellín Chamber of Commerce for Antioquia, which has operated since 1993, has more than 30 years of experience administering dispute resolution mechanisms, including both domestic and international arbitration.

The Center provides arbitration, conciliation and amicable settlement services, among other dispute resolution mechanisms, and maintains close links with Antioquia’s legal and business community.

The economic importance of the region is another factor underpinning the alliance. According to the institutions, Antioquia has more than 237,000 active companies across multiple sectors and a business ecosystem undergoing sustained internationalisation.

Foreign investment flows, strategic air connectivity and significant international commercial activity are considered factors that make the region well suited to the development of international arbitration.

CIIAM strengthens its Ibero-American platform

According to Adolfo Díaz-Ambrona, President of the Madrid Association for International Arbitration, the alliance reinforces CIIAM’s model as an open and inclusive institution and strengthens its connection with Ibero-America’s arbitration and business communities.

José María Alonso, President of CIIAM, highlighted the agreement as a further step for the Ibero-American arbitration community and as a means of providing companies with dispute resolution mechanisms that reflect their shared legal, cultural and cross-border economic ties.

For the Medellín Chamber of Commerce, Jorge Villegas Betancur highlighted CCMA’s more than 30 years of experience and said that the alliance adds value for businesses and investors operating in an increasingly internationalised Colombian economy.

Alejandra Betancur Sierra, Head of Arbitration at the Medellín Chamber of Commerce for Antioquia, also highlighted Medellín and Antioquia’s importance as an economic and business centre and the region’s potential for international arbitration.

Continued expansion across Ibero-America

CIIAM was established in 2020 through the integration of the international arbitration activities of the Madrid Court of Arbitration (CAM), the Spanish Court of Arbitration (CEA) and the Civil and Commercial Court of Arbitration (CIMA), with the Madrid Bar Association (ICAM) as a strategic partner.

In 2024, the Ibero-American Arbitration Center (CIAR) also joined as a strategic partner.

Since April 2025, the Arbitration and Mediation Center of the Santiago Chamber of Commerce (CAM Santiago) has integrated its international arbitration activity into CIIAM with the same status as the founding courts.

In June 2026, CIIAM also entered into a cooperation agreement with the Arbitration Center of the Costa Rica Bar Association, focused on strengthening international arbitration, particularly in Central America and the Caribbean.

The addition of CCMA further expands this network and strengthens CIIAM’s presence in Colombia.

CIIAM operates in Spanish, Portuguese, English and French and allows parties to establish the seat of arbitration in any city worldwide, with virtual or in-person hearings and hearing facilities available in Costa Rica, Madrid, Medellín and Santiago de Chile.

Key facts

• CIIAM and the Conciliation, Arbitration and Amicable Settlement Center of the Medellín Chamber of Commerce for Antioquia have entered into an international arbitration alliance.
• CCMA will refer to CIIAM all international arbitrations arising from contracts signed after January 1, 2027.
• For contracts signed before that date, users will have the option of referring proceedings to CIIAM.
• CCMA will continue to administer domestic arbitration matters.
• Medellín will become an additional operational point for CIIAM, while CCMA will have representation on CIIAM’s Plenary.
• The Medellín arbitration institution has operated since 1993 and has more than 30 years of experience.
• Antioquia has more than 237,000 active companies across multiple sectors.
• CIIAM currently has hearing facilities in Costa Rica, Madrid, Medellín and Santiago de Chile.