Under the patronage of HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani, QICCA organized the second edition of the conference from October 18-19, 2016, at the W Doha Hotel in Doha, with wide local and international participation from 750 attendees.

Coinciding with QICCA’s 10th anniversary, the event was inaugurated by HE Minister of Justice Dr. Hassan bin Lahdan Al Mohannadi. The conference aimed to enhance the exchange of experiences and best practices among global and regional experts in the field. Additionally, it provided an opportunity to promote commercial arbitration as a practical means to resolve disputes outside of court, speeding up the process and helping businesses avoid the costs and challenges of traditional litigation.

The conference featured six main panels covering the following topics: a review of Qatari arbitration texts and related court rulings; the role of GCC arbitration centers in developing an investment-friendly environment; modern trends in arbitration; updating Qatari legislation to create a favorable environment for investment; integrating Qatari laws with international treaties to protect the rights of Qatari investors abroad; and the role of the national judiciary in supporting and enforcing commercial arbitration and the implementation of arbitrators’ rulings.

The conference concluded with 14 recommendations. In the closing statement, delivered by H.E. Sheikh Thani bin Ali bin Saud Al Thani, QICCA board member, the conference called on the Qatari legislature to swiftly issue an arbitration law that includes modern, flexible procedural rules to address the shortcomings of current legislation and better meet the needs of the business sector in Qatar.

The statement emphasized that arbitration is an adjunct to the judiciary, not a competitor, and should serve to resolve commercial, financial, economic, and engineering disputes requiring expertise specific to these fields. It also underscored the need to update the regulations of permanent arbitration institutions in the GCC to reflect new developments and best practices at the international level.

It highlighted the importance of drafting “arbitration clauses” in infrastructure contracts and major engineering projects, particularly those involving public-private sector participation. It urged GCC countries to join the United Nations Convention on Transparency in Treaty-based Investor-State Arbitration (the “Mauritius Convention on Transparency”) to address disputes between host countries and foreign investors. Furthermore, it emphasized the critical role of specialized courts in resolving economic and financial disputes, such as the Qatar International Court and the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Courts.

The conference also called for holding specialized courses in the field of continuous qualification of arbitrators at the level of Arab countries, and exchanging experiences with leading arbitration centers, stressing the importance of organizing joint meetings that bring together arbitration practitioners.

Further, it called for holding specialized courses for arbitrators across Arab countries and for the exchange of experiences with leading arbitration centers. It stressed the importance of organizing joint meetings that bring together arbitration practitioners and users to identify and address key issues and challenges. Additionally, it highlighted the need to establish a reference framework across all Arab countries to regularly monitor the judicial application of the United Nations Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards (New York Convention 1958) and work towards unifying its interpretation and application.