I represent States and State-owned entities in high-stakes international arbitrations and public international law matters.
Andrés F. Esteban Tovar advises and represents States before international courts and tribunals. With extensive experience as a government lawyer, he offers expert advice on public international law, investment arbitration and WTO Law.
Prior to joining Foley Hoag, Andres was an attorney at the State Legal Defense Agency of the Republic of Colombia, representing Colombia in more than 16 investor-State cases and in friendly negotiations with foreign investors. In that position, he participated in Group III (Reform of the Investor-State Dispute Settlement System) of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law.
Previously, Andres worked for the Office of International Affairs of the Colombian Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Tourism. There he participated in the representation of Colombia in international trade disputes at the World Trade Organization and advised the Colombian Government in the negotiation and implementation of Free Trade Agreements.
Andres has been a professor at several universities in Colombia, where he has taught public international law, international economic law, litigation before international courts and tribunals, economic law of integration and globalization and law. He has also supported the development of academic programs in Southeast Asia as a volunteer for the Trade Law Development Program of the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Universidad de los Andes, Master in International Law
Universidad de los Andes, JD Equivalent
Bar and Court Admissions
BAR ADMISSIONS
Missouri
Colombia
Experience
INVESTOR-STATE ARBITRATION
Overseas Real Estate LLC v. Republic of Honduras (ICSID Case No. ARB(AF)/25/4). Represents the Republic of Honduras in an ICSID claim under CAFTA-DR related to the repeal of laws creating and permitting employment and economic development zones (ZEDE).
X-Elio Energy S.L. v. Republic of Honduras (ICSID Case No. ARB/24/31). Represents the Republic of Honduras in an ICSID claim under Spain-Honduras BIT related to the renewable energy sector.
Víctor Miguel Silhy Zacarías v. Republic of Honduras (ICSID Case No. ARB/24/32). Represents the Republic of Honduras in an ICSID claim under CAFTA-DR related to the renewable energy sector.
Eléctricas de Medellín Ingeniería y Servicios S.A.S. v. Republic of Honduras (ICSID Case No. ARB/24/24). Represents the Republic of Honduras in an ICSID claim under the Northern Triangle-Colombia Treaty related to the electricity sector.
Fernando Paiz Andrade and Anabella Schloesser de León de Paiz v. Republic of Honduras (ICSID Case No. ARB/23/43). Represents the Republic of Honduras in an ICSID claim under CAFTA-DR related to the renewable energy sector.
Inversiones y Desarrollos Energéticos, S.A. v. Republic of Honduras (ICSID Case No. ARB/23/40). Represents the Republic of Honduras in an ICSID claim under the Central America-Panama Free Trade Agreement related to the renewable energy sector.
Honduras Próspera Inc., St. John’s Bay Development Company LLC, and Próspera Arbitration Center LLC v. Republic of Honduras (ICSID Case No. ARB/23/2). Represents the Republic of Honduras in an ICSID claim under CAFTA-DR. The investor claims US$11 billion related to the repeal of laws creating and permitting employment and economic development zones (ZEDE).
Yves Martine Garnier v. The Dominican Republic, PCA Case No. 2022-01. Represents the Dominican Republic in an investment arbitration under the DR-France BIT related to an alleged investment in the waste management sector.
APM Terminals Callao S.A. v. Republic of Peru (ICSID Case No. ARB/21/28). Represents the Republic of Peru in an ICSID claim for alleged breaches of a port operation and construction concession contract.
AFC Investment Solutions S.L. v. Republic of Colombia (ICSID Case No. ARB/20/16). Represented the Republic of Colombia in the preliminary stage of an ICSID claim under the Bilateral Investment Treaty between Colombia and Spain related to the intervention of a financial sector entity.*
South32 SA Investments Limited v. Republic of Colombia (ICSID Case No. ARB/20/9). Represented the Republic of Colombia in an ICSID claim under the BIT Colombia - United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 2010 related to a mining concession.*
Neustar, Inv. v. Republic of Colombia (ICSID Case No. ARB/20/7). Represented the Republic of Colombia in the preliminary stage of a claim before ICSID under the Trade Promotion Agreement between Colombia and the United States related to the renewal of a concession in the telecommunications sector.*
Astrida Benita Carrizosa v. Republic of Colombia (ICSID Case No. ARB/18/5). Represented the Republic of Colombia in an ICSID claim under the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement related to the intervention to a financial sector entity.*
Carrizosa et al. v. Republic of Colombia (PCA Case No. 2018-56). Represented the Republic of Colombia in an investment arbitration under the U.S.-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement related to the intervention of a financial sector entity.*
Telefónica, S.A. v. Republic of Colombia (ICSID Case No. ARB/18/3). Represented the Republic of Colombia in an ICSID claim under the Bilateral Investment Treaty between Colombia and Spain related to a concession in the telecommunications sector.*
Glencore International A.G. and C.I. Prodeco S.A. v. Republic of Colombia (ICSID Case No. ARB/16/6). Represented the Republic of Colombia in a claim before ICSID under the Bilateral Investment Treaty between Colombia and Switzerland related to the Mining sector.*
América Móvil S.A.B. de C.V. v. Republic of Colombia (ICSID Case No. ARB(AF)/16/5). Represented the Republic of Colombia in an ICSID claim under the Mexico-Colombia Free Trade Agreement related to a concession in the telecommunications sector.*
INTERNATIONAL COMMERCIAL DISPUTES
Representing a Central American State in a CIAC commercial arbitration commenced by a Spanish company, concerning a concession contract for the operation and maintenance of a Hydroelectric Power Station.
Colombia - Measures on Imports of Textiles, Apparel and Footwear (DS461). Represented Colombia before the Appellate Body in a dispute initiated by Panama before the Dispute Settlement Body of the World Trade Organization (Geneva, Switzerland).*
Colombia - Measures on Imported Spirits (DS502). Represented Colombia at the consultation stage in a dispute initiated by the European Union related to taxes on alcoholic beverages.*
*These matters were handled prior to joining Foley Hoag
Other Publications
Esteban Tovar, Andrés Felipe (in press). “Conflicts of Interests in Investment Arbitration”. Universidad del Rosario (expected 2024).
Esteban Tovar, Andrés Felipe. “Capítulo 8: El Estado como sujeto del Derecho Internacional Público” in Laura Galindo, Natalia López & René Urueña (eds), Manual de Derecho Internacional Público (Bogotá: Ediciones Uniandes, 2023)
Esteban Tovar, Andrés Felipe (2020). Excepciones generales y de seguridad en el sistema multilateral de comercio. En: Debates contemporáneos de derecho internacional económico: Una mirada desde Colombia. Eds. E. Prieto-Rios and R. Urueña. Universidad del Rosario.
Ordoñez Ana, Esteban Tovar Andrés, García Sylvia, Arenas María (2019). La Defensa del Estado colombiano en controversias de arbitraje de inversión. En: Tratados Internacionales y el Arbitraje de Inversión: Experiencias de Colombia y del Derecho Comparado. Editorial Ibáñez y Cámara de Comercio de Bogotá.
Esteban Tovar, Andrés Felipe, “El concepto de ‘productos similares’ bajo el artículo 2.1 del Acuerdo OTC: una mirada desde los criterios de interpretación de la OMC”, Anuario Colombiano de Derecho Internacional (ACDI), 2016, 9, pp. 309-345.
John H. Jackson Scholarship, Georgetown University Law Center, 2021.
INVOLVEMENT
Foreign Arbitrators Panel at the Centro Internacional de Arbitraje, Resolución de Conflictos & Dispute Boards de Trujillo, Peru (2022-2023).
Member of the Advisory Committee of the Law, Trade, and Globalization research group at the University of Los Andes (Colombia).
Fellow of the Institute of International Economic Law at Georgetown University Law Center.
Member, Colombian Association of International Law (ACCOLDI)
Member , American Association of International Law (ASIL)
Member, International Economic Law Association (SIEL)
Speaking Engagements
Presenter: "Full service vs. boutiques: the new competition over the arbitration market", Colombia Arbitration Week, 2026.
Presenter: Government and International Organizations Job seeking during a Global Pandemic, American Society of International Law, 2021.
Presenter: Good practices and improvements in arbitration. International Center for Arbitration, Trujillo, Peru. 2020.
Lecture on international law to four African Universities. Invited by the European Association of Law Students. 2020.
Presenter: Investment Arbitration in continued studies at ESAP. Public Administration University. Colombia, 2019.
Moderator: Investment and Commercial arbitration with Bolivia’s attorney general and Paraguay’s deputy attorney general. 2019. Latin American Association of Attorney General’s office. Lima, Peru. 2019.
Presenter: ISDS Reform analysis of the proposals. Universidad del Rosario, Colombia. 2018
Presenter: “WTO standards in Investment Arbitration”. Universidad Nacional de Colombia. ¨International Arbitration School¨. Bogotá, Colombia. Jan. 2017.
Keynote Speaker: “Colombia and the WTO.” Universidad del Rosario & Warwick University. Workshop on Multinational Corporations, foreign investment, and development: International Economic Law and Beyond. Bogotá, Colombia. Nov. 2016.
Presenter: “Analysis of the CETA proposal of a Permanent Court for Investment Arbitration.” Universidad Externado de Colombia. International law and Global Governance Seminar. Bogotá, Colombia. Aug. 2016.
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