Stress on urgent need for Saudiarbitration system

JEDDAH – Establishing arbitration centers and a system of arbitration that can cope with the development of the Kingdom’s market is an urgent requirement of Saudi courts. This was stressed during the launch of a three-day arbitration training course here Tuesday under the theme “Arbitration dispute and the Saudi arbitration system.”More than 40 experts, researchers, judges, lawyers and students came together to discuss the need for establishing arbitration centers in the Kingdom’s courts to resolve the problems of Saudi companies.“All Saudi arbitration cases are referred to Arab and international arbitration centers to settle disputes. It is estimated that 14 percent of the cases referred to the French Chamber of Commerce for Arbitration are from Gulf countries and that 75 percent of those cases are from Saudi Arabia,” said Dr. Fahd Mushabab Aal Khafair, a Saudi lawyer, and head of the committee organizing the training course.Aal Khafair called for the need to accelerate the establishment of specialized arbitration centers in the Kingdom’s courts in order to resolve many problems.“We are working on the preparation of national trainee cadres skilled in arbitration. This will decrease the number of cases transferred to other countries and it will increase the work opportunities for young Saudi lawyers,” he said. – SG