The International Federation of Commercial Arbitration Institutions (IFCAI) was established in 1985 and it now consists of 52 member organizations worldwide. The Federation’s aims are to establish and maintain permanent relations between commercial arbitration institutions, foster a broad exchange of information on all aspects of arbitration and conciliation, encourage the responsible use of these dispute resolution techniques and facilitate the exchange of information on member organization services. IFCAI’s periodic meetings are an important forum for discussions and planning for matters of mutual interest in the field: IFCAI Council meets about once a year, while the General Assembly meets every 12-18 months.