Tanzania, March 12 -- Dar es Salaam. The High Court Commercial Division has halted proceedings in a commercial dispute between Burundi's oil importing firm Prestige Investment SA and Lamar Commodity Trading DMCC of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), ordering that the matter be referred to international arbitration in London.

Judge Abdallah Gonzi ruled that the dispute should be handled by the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) in accordance with the arbitration clause contained in the parties' fuel supply agreement.

The decision followed an application filed by Lamar challenging the jurisdiction of the Tanzanian court to hear Commercial Case No. 130 of 2023, which had been lodged by Prestige Investment.

In the ruling, the co...