Doha, Qatar: The Sixth World Conference on International Arbitration concluded on Wednesday with a set of key recommendations aimed at advancing arbitration, enhancing its efficiency and keeping pace with legislative and technological developments.
The two-day conference was organized by the Qatar International Center for Conciliation and Arbitration (QICCA) at the Qatar Chamber, held under the theme "ADR in a Changing World: From Judicial Oversight to AI".
HE Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim bin Mohamed Al-Thani, the chairman of both Qatar Chamber and QICCA, attended part of sessions of the closing day and met with a number of participants.
The recommendations emphasized strengthening complementarity between the judiciary and arbitration, modernizing arbitration legislation, and establishing guidelines for the responsible use of artificial intelligence in arbitral proceedings while safeguarding confidentiality, privacy, and the independence and impartiality of arbitrators.
They also called for encouraging arbitration centers to adopt modern technologies, promoting mediation and other amicable dispute resolution methods, particularly in investment disputes, and upholding the highest standards of integrity, independence, impartiality, and professional ethics.
Furthermore, the recommendations highlighted the importance of training young arbitrators and mediators, enhancing women's participation in arbitration, and expanding cooperation among arbitration centers, judicial institutions, and academic bodies across the Gulf and Arab regions.
The conference also stressed the need to exchange expertise, publish relevant arbitral awards and judicial principles, and continue research and professional dialogue to shape the future of arbitration while balancing technological progress with the requirements of justice.
The conference's second day featured four specialized sessions addressing key issues and developments in international arbitration and alternative dispute resolution (ADR), including mediation, enforcement of arbitral awards, the ethics of arbitration in the age of AI, and women's participation in arbitration. The sessions brought together a distinguished group of legal experts, arbitrators and practitioners from Qatar and around the world.
The first session, titled "International Arbitration in Practice: From the Arbitration Agreement to the Enforcement of the Award," examined practical and procedural aspects of international arbitration, from concluding arbitration agreements to enforcing arbitral awards.
The second panel, titled "Mediation: The Flexibility of Settlement and Mechanisms for Integration with Arbitration," explored the role of mediation in resolving disputes and ways to strengthen its integration with arbitration.
The third session, titled "Women and Arbitration: Progress, Challenges, and the Road Ahead," examined women's participation in arbitration.
The fourth session addressed "The Ethics of Arbitration in the Face of AI," examining the ethical and professional considerations arising from the growing use of artificial intelligence in arbitration proceedings.
On the sidelines of the conference's closing day, QICCA signed an MoU with the Ras Al Khaimah Center for Mediation and Arbitration, at the Ras Al Khaimah Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the United Arab Emirates.
The MoU was signed on behalf of QICCA by Ibrahim Shahbek, Secretary-General of the Center, and on behalf of the Ras Al Khaimah Center by Legal Consultant Dr. Ibrahim Shawqi Jawhar.
The signing ceremony was attended by HE Ambassador of the UAE to the State of Qatar Abdullah Al Qamzi; HE Sheikh Dr. Thani bin Ali Al-Thani, Vice Chairman of QICCA; Ali Bu Sherbak Al Mansouri, Acting General Manager of Qatar Chamber; and Dr. Rashid Al Nuaimi, Director-General of Ras Al Khaimah Chamber.
