23.— (1) An award (other than an award within the meaning of section 25) made by an arbitral tribunal under an arbitration agreement shall be enforceable in the State either by action or, by leave of the High Court, in the same manner as a judgment or order of that Court with the same effect and where leave is given, judgment may be entered in terms of the award.

(2) An award that is referred to in subsection (1) shall, unless otherwise agreed by the parties, be treated as binding for all purposes on the parties between whom it was made, and may accordingly be relied on by any of those parties by way of defence, set-off or otherwise in any legal proceedings in the State.

(3) Nothing in this section shall be construed as affecting the recognition or enforcement of an award under the Geneva Convention, the New York Convention or the Washington Convention.

(4) Articles 35 and 36 shall not apply in respect of an award in arbitral proceedings which took place in the State.