The Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) is set to open a branch office in Qatar following the signing of an MoU with the Qatar International Court and Dispute Resolution Centre (QICDRC).
CIArb is a global hub of excellence for the practice and profession of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) with a membership of 16,000 people. Under the terms of the MoU, CIArb will open a branch at the QICDRC’s premises and provide a range of resources to the Qatari legal community, most notably arbitration training in line with international best standards in both Arabic and English languages.
The MoU establishes a strategic partnership between CIArb and QICDRC, where the two sides will work together to promote the practice of ADR in Qatar, improve the quality of specialised arbitration programmes, and enhance the ADR skills of Qatari lawyers.
Faisal al-Sahouti, QICDRC CEO said: “ADR is an increasingly popular method for resolving international commercial disputes in Qatar, especially given Qatar’s new arbitration law this year, and we are delighted with CIArb’s decision to establish a regional base in Qatar at the QICDRC. CIArb’s presence in Qatar will help train the next generation of Qatari lawyers, boost QICDRC’s position as a leading venue for international commercial dispute resolution in the GCC, and attract more international companies to the Qatar Financial Centre.”
Professor Dr Nayla Comair-Obeid CArb President 2017 said: “CIArb is very proud to open a branch in Qatar, and we currently have 215 local members. Our branch will enhance the implementation of Qatar’s new arbitration law and we are keen to further promote education and training on arbitration and ADR.”
Following the recent signing of an MoU between QICDRC and CIArb, an official launch and networking event took place at the Grand Hyatt Doha. Members of QICDRC and CIArb gave speeches regarding the new co-operation related to the professional training of arbitrators in Qatar.
In attendance were HE the Minister of Energy and Industry Dr Mohamed bin Saleh al-Sada, Ashghal president Saad al-Muhannadi, al-Sahouti, and Dr Obeid, with the latter two mentioning in their speeches the importance of the launch and how it will benefit arbitration and arbitrators in Qatar and the region.