The ICC arbitration commission at the Council of Saudi Chambers will hold a meeting today with officials from the International Court of Arbitration and ICC Paris where they will discuss methods of cooperation in the arbitration field.

Chairman of ICC-Saudi Arabia’s arbitration commission, Khalid Al-Nowaiser, said that the commission will meet vice chairman of ICC’s International Court of Arbitration, secretary general of ICC Paris and director of ICC MENA as parts of the commission’s efforts to maximize the benefits of the Kingdom’s membership in leading international organizations in global trade dispute settlement. Al-Nowaiser stressed the importance of the meeting in light of the developments Saudi Arabia is witnessing in that regard, citing Prince Bandar bin Salman, chairman of the Saudi arbitration group, and Minister of Justice Mohammed Al-Essa for their continuous efforts in supporting and raising awareness to the arbitration culture in the Kingdom.

Regarding the meeting’s agenda, Al-Nowayser said that the commission will be submitting its views to ICC Paris officials as regards trade arbitration in Saudi Arabia and its new systems, including training Saudi arbitrators and the mechanisms to select them.

The meeting will also address preparations for the Saudi Arbitration Conference event which the commission plans to organize this year with the aim of enhancing the role of Saudi arbitrators in resolving trade. Al-Nowayser said the agenda will include highlighting the newly reformed arbitration laws, effective start of 2012, which replaced the laws that have been followed since 1998.

In a statement regarding the subject matter, Al-Nowayser said: “Trade arbitration is one of the most vital departments of ICC Paris which works closely with the national commission for arbitration at the Council of Saudi Chambers to benefit from the services provided by the court and the expertise it posses in the field of developing the arbitration sector in the Kingdom.


He stressed on the urgency to create a Saudi arbitration center, explaining that a country of Saudi Arabia’s stature deserves its own center to deal with trade dispute issues.