Overnight news reports of Libyan rebels liberating the
capital Tripoli encourage many to hope that hostilities in the
country are soon to end. At the same time, international diplomatic
pressure on Syria's President Bashar al-Assad continues to
mount with calls for his immediate resignation. For international
companies with economic interests in these states, questions will
nevertheless remain about the position of their investments over
the coming weeks and months. What rights would such companies have
following a change in the regime? What would happen if the country
is divided? Equally, what will the position be if the current
regime does not change after all?
Similar questions may arise in relation to investments in other
countries undergoing a process of transition from one government to
another or from one form of governance to another, be they
in the Middle East or elsewhere. This client alert provides some
insights into the rights of foreign investors into
