His Excellency Sheikh Khalifa bin Jassim Al Thani, Chairman of the Qatar Chamber, said that the State of Qatar was one of the first countries to accede to the United Nations Convention on International Settlement Agreements emanating from mediation, known as the “Singapore Mediation Agreement”, which entered into force on September 12, indicating that the mediation It is a “fast, efficient and cost-effective” way to solve trade disputes between parties.
This came during his speech at the opening of the virtual symposium held by the Qatar International Center for Conciliation and Arbitration in the Qatar Chamber, on the occasion of International Law Day, and within the framework of the celebration of the entry into force of the “Singapore Agreement” for Mediation, through visual communication technology, in the presence of a number of specialists, jurists and arbitrators.
His Excellency explained that mediation has gained increasing importance as one of the most important alternative means of resolving commercial disputes and disputes, which has prompted a number of countries to adopt legislation related to mediation procedures through courts, or through arbitration centers specialized in resolving commercial disputes.
He pointed out that the Qatar Chamber’s interest in arbitration is what prompted it many years ago to establish the Qatar International Center for Conciliation and Arbitration, as the Chamber, through the center, encourages the parties to the commercial relationship to activate the principle of mediation in resolving disputes.
For his part, His Excellency Sheikh Dr. Thani bin Ali Al Thani, a member of the Board of Directors for International Relations at the Qatar International Center for Conciliation and Arbitration, said, “Qatar is among the first three countries to implement this agreement, as His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of the country, issued a document Ratification of the Singapore Agreement on February 12, 2020, which mainly means the enforcement of agreements on settlement resulting from mediation activities in the countries of the world, starting with the three countries that have ratified this agreement, namely Singapore, Fiji and Qatar.
His Excellency pointed out that the State of Qatar’s accession to the Singapore Mediation Agreement opens new horizons for reconciliation and settlement as one of the alternative means for resolving disputes, thus providing an appropriate environment for the success of business and commercial qualifications, expressing the center’s welcome to implement this agreement in three countries, including the State of Qatar.
He explained that the signing of the Singapore Agreement so far by 53 countries is considered an indication of the success of the idea of mediation and conciliation, and a sign of encouraging these countries to adopt the idea of mediation between commercial companies, economic entities and financial institutions.
During the symposium, a number of axes related to mediation as a means of resolving disputes were discussed. Speakers gave a presentation of the beginnings of the emergence of mediation in the State of Qatar as the first steps of justice to resolve disputes, or what was known as the “people of the salafiya” system, and then the judicial organization in 1971.
The speakers indicated that with an increase Preparing cases As a result of the progress of societies and the expansion of legislation and cases, thinking began to encourage alternative means of resolving disputes such as arbitration and mediation.
The speakers reviewed the most prominent differences between mediation and other alternative means of resolving disputes such as arbitration, explaining the low cost of these means and the speed of their procedures, which contributed to the increase in the spread of the culture of resorting to arbitration and mediation.
The speakers also reviewed the most important roles played by institutions in Arab countries concerned with law and litigation to encourage recourse to mediation, and the effect of the Singapore Agreement on encouraging mediation in the Arab world, as well as the role of the Singapore Agreement in supporting the effectiveness of the terms of mediation and arbitration, and the positive and effective role of the State of Qatar when depositing the third ratification of Singapore Agreement.
