September 27, 2022
By email
Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ConocoPhillips Petrozuata B.V.,
c/o Dr. Reinaldo Enrique Muñoz Pedroza ConocoPhillips Hamaca B.V. and
Viceprocurador General de la ConocoPhillips Gulf of Paria B.V.
República (E) c/o Ms. Laura M. Robertson
Mr. Henry Rodríguez Facchinetti Arbitration Deputy General Counsel
Gerente General de Litigio Ms. Suzana M. Blades
Procuraduría General de la República Associate General Counsel
Bolivariana de Venezuela Mr. Alberto Ravell
Paseo Los Ilustres c/c Av. Lazo Martí Senior Legal Counsel
Ed. Sede Procuraduría General de la Mr. Fernando Avila-Bavaresco
República, Piso 8 Senior Legal Counsel
Urb. Santa Mónica ConocoPhillips Company
Caracas 1040 925 N. Eldridge Pkwy.
República Bolivariana de Venezuela Houston, Texas
and United States of America
c/o Mr. Alfredo De Jesús S. and
De Jesús & De Jesús c/o Mr. Elliot Friedman
Edificio Magna Corp, Piso 5 Mr. Sam Prevatt
Calle 51 Este y Manuel María Icaza Mr. Lee Rovinescu
Bella Vista Ms. Madeline Snider
City of Panamá Mr. Cameron Russell
Republic of Panama Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer US LLP
and 601 Lexington Avenue, 31st Floor
Torre Banco del Orinoco, Piso 4 New York, NY 10022
Avenida Francisco de Miranda United States of America
Caracas 1060 and
Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela c/o Mr. Jan Paulsson
and Mr. Luke Sobota
c/o Dr. Alfredo De Jesús O. Mr. Mihir Chattopadhyay
Ms. Marie Thérèse Hervella Three Crowns LLP
Ms. Eloisa Falcón López 3000 K Street NW, Suite 101
Mr. Pierre Daureu Washington, D.C. 20007-5109
Alfredo De Jesús O. – Transnational United States of America
Arbitration, and
Litigation & Business Law c/o Mr. Constantine Partasides
20, rue Quentin Bauchart Three Crowns LLP
75008 Paris New Fetter Place
France 8-10 New Fetter Lane
and London EC4A 1AZ
c/o Mr. George Kahale, III United Kingdom
Mr. Benard Preziosi, Jr. and
Ms. Arianna Sanchez c/o D. Brian King
Ms. Simon N. Batifort New York University School of Law
Mr. Kevin A. Meehan 40 Washington Square South
Ms. Irene Petrelli New York, NY 10012
Mr. Enrique Urdaneta Cordido-Freytes United States of America
Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLP  
101 Park Avenue  
New York, NY 10178  
United States of America  
 
Re: ConocoPhillips Petrozuata B.V., ConocoPhillips Hamaca B.V. and ConocoPhillips Gulf of Paria B.V. v. Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
(ICSID Case No. ARB/07/30)
 
Dear Mesdames and Sirs,
1.
I refer to the Proposal for the Disqualification of Judge Hascher and Professor Fernández Arroyo filed on June 12, 2022 by De Jesús Law Firm on behalf of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (the “Proposal”).
2.
The Proposal was submitted pursuant to Articles 14 and 57 of the ICSID Convention and ICSID Arbitration Rule 9. Pursuant to Article 57, a party may propose the disqualification of an arbitrator on account of any fact indicating a manifest lack of the qualities required by Article 14(1).
3.
Pursuant to Article 58 of the Convention and Arbitration Rule 9, the Chair of the ICSID Administrative Council shall decide the Proposal.
4.
On July 22, 2022, the Centre informed the parties of my decision to seek a recommendation on the Proposal from Judge Ian Binnie, former Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada. The Centre confirmed that the final decision on the Proposal would be taken by the Chair of the ICSID Administrative Council in accordance with Article 58 of the ICSID Convention.
5.
The parties have been given a full opportunity to present their positions on this matter. The Centre provided Judge Binnie with copies of all parties’ submissions on the Proposal and the explanations furnished by Judge Hascher and Professor Fernández Arroyo.
6.
The Centre received the recommendation from Judge Binnie on September 16, 2022. A copy of the recommendation is attached.
7.
I have carefully considered the Proposal, having regard to the parties’ written arguments, the explanations furnished by Judge Hascher and Professor Fernández Arroyo, and the recommendation from Judge Binnie. Based on these materials, I have concluded that the Proposal does not meet the standard for disqualification set forth in Article 57 of the ICSID Convention.
8.
Accordingly, the Proposal is hereby rejected.
 
Yours sincerely,

[signed]
 
David Malpass
Chairman of the Administrative Council
 
Attachment
 
cc:
 
Judge Dominique Hascher
Professor Diego P. Fernández Arroyo
Mr. Lawrence Boo