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Diamana Diawara

Partner – International Arbitration

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+33 7 78 71 64 51
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Diamana Diawara brings 15 years of experience in international litigation and arbitration, including over a decade at the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), the world’s leading institution for dispute resolution. Her unique expertise is applied daily in arbitration proceedings where she serves as counsel and an arbitrator, providing strategic and pragmatic insights to meet the needs of her clients and the stakeholders involved in cases where she sits as arbitrator.

A lawyer admitted to the Paris Bar, Diamana stands out particularly in the area of litigation involving state parties in Africa. She has facilitated the resolution of over a thousand ICC arbitration cases, covering complex disputes between parties from the Middle East, Africa, and French-speaking Europe.

With an in-depth knowledge of international investments in Africa, Diamana Diawara excels in managing disputes arising from these investments. As the Africa Director of Dispute Resolution Services at the ICC, she played a key role in training African public and private sector stakeholders, enhancing their understanding of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) methods. Simultaneously, she worked to improve the inclusion of African practitioners in international arbitration proceedings.

Through TALEX INTERNATIONAL, her boutique focused on arbitration and dispute resolution, Diamana leverages her expertise in complex arbitration procedures, guided by core values of rigor, excellence, and humanity. She is committed to offering innovative, pragmatic solutions to the challenges her clients face.

Throughout her career, Diamana Diawara has been recognized by her peers and received numerous awards. Notably, she was named Rising Star of the Month by Africa Arbitration in September 2019. She has also been listed in Who’s Who Legal’s Future Leaders of International Arbitration rankings from 2021 to 2023. In 2024, she was honored with a nomination in the Global Elite Thought Leaders of Arbitration category by Lexology, a testament to her recognized excellence in the field.



References / Experiences
  • Lead counsel for the Republic of Mali in ICSID case ARB/25/2
  • Counsel to a west African party in a commercial maritime arbitration
  • Counsel to an African party in an international commercial arbitration case in the energy sector
  • Counsel to an automobile sports team in an sports arbitration matter
  • Enforcement before French courts and against French owned assets of a foreign civil judgement
  • Counsel to Italian parties in international negotiations with French business partners
Speaking engagements

SELECTED SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS AND TRAININGS

  • Training for the Office of the Solicitor General of the United Republic of Tanzania – Presentation on contract breach and damages assessment in international arbitration, Arusha, Tanzania, June 2025.
  • North African Arbitration Days – Presentation on effective arbitration management for the Head of State Litigation of the Kingdom of Morocco, Casablanca, Morocco, December 2024.
  • Mining on Top Africa 2024 – Presentation on ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) in mining projects, Paris, France, July 2024.
  • South African Arbitration Days – Presentation on corporate social responsibility in mining, Cape Town, South Africa, January 2024.
  • Africa Construction Law Training – Presentation on construction arbitration in Africa under ICC procedures, June 2023.
  • ICC Cameroon Conference – Presentation on dispute resolution in major infrastructure projects, Yaoundé, Cameroon, March 2023.
  • African Arbitration Association Conference – Keynote speech on the emergence of leading arbitration hubs in Africa, Cape Town, October 2023.
  • Arbitration Training for Legal staff of State and State-Owned Enterprises in Tunis, Tunisia, July 2023.
  • South African Arbitration Days – Presentation on emerging sectors in South African arbitration, Johannesburg, January 2023.
  • Keynote Speech at the 10th Anniversary of the Kigali International Arbitration Center (KIAC), Kigali, Rwanda, September 2022.
  • Masterclass on Conducting and Effectively Managing Arbitration Proceedings for Kenyan Arbitration Practitioners, Nairobi, Kenya, September 2022.
  • International Council for Commercial Arbitration (ICCA) Congress – Presentation on enhancing international arbitration practice, Edinburgh, Scotland, September 2022.
  • Arbitration Training for Legal staff of the Head of State Litigation and State-Owned Enterprises, Libreville, Gabon, April 2022.
  • International Law Summit – Presentation on energy arbitration in Africa, London, United Kingdom, February 2022.
  • Arbitration Training for the Legal staff of the Attorney General’s Office and State-Owned Enterprises, Accra, Ghana, February 2022.
  • Africa Arbitration Academy – Training session for approximately thirty young practitioners from across the African continent, London, United Kingdom, October 2021.
  • Training on Drafting Enforceable Arbitral Awards, Lagos, Nigeria, June 2019.
  • Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Conference – Presentations on synergies between civil law and common law, Johannesburg, South Africa, July 2017.
  • International Bar Association Annual Conference “Investing in Africa”, Paris, France, June 2017.
  • ICC/OHADA Conference on the Reform of OHADA Arbitration Law, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, June 2016.
  • Union Internationale des Avocats (UIA) Seminar on Mining Law in Africa, Dakar, Senegal, February 2016.
Education / Admission

EDUCATION

  • 2009 – 2010: LLM in US Legal Studies – Golden Gate University School of Law, San Francisco,California (USA)
  • 2008 – 2009: Master 2 degree in International Commercial Law – Paris Nanterre University
  • 2007 – 2008: Master 1 degree in International Business Law – Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne University

ADMISSION

Paris bar

Professional background
  • Since March 2026: Partner at TALEX INTERNATIONAL
  • Since January 2026: Lecturer for the Master’s Degree in International Arbitration and International Business Law at Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University
  • September 2024 – March 2026: Consultant in International Arbitration and Litigation
  • 2021 – 2025: Africa Director, Dispute Resolution Services at the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)
  • Since 2015: Lecturer for the Online University Diploma at University of Montpellier
  • 2015 – 2020: Counsel at the ICC International Court of Arbitration
  • 2014 – 2021: Lecturer at Paris Ouest Nanterre La Défense University
  • 2012 – 2015: Deputy Counsel at the ICC International Court of Arbitration
Recognitions
  • Global Elite Thought Leader of Arbitration by Lexology, 2024-2025.
  • Godmother of the 2022-2023 class of the University Diploma, International and Business Law in Africa, Paris 2 Assas Sorbonne University
  • Future Leaders of International Arbitration in Who’s Who Legal’s rankings from 2021 to 2023.
  • Rising Star of the Month by Africa Arbitration in September 2019
Memberships
  • Co-President of Paris Arbitration Week (PAW) Board
  • Court member, Arbitration Foundation for Southern Africa
  • Member of the Board of FRANCARBI

Languages
  • Mothertoungue (dialects from Mali): Soninke, Bambara
  • Bilingual: French, English
  • Professional proficiency: Spanish
  • Basic: Arabic, Russian