The director of the Dubai International Arbitration Center, one of the initiatives of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Rashid Shaheen, said that the virtual international arbitration sessions are an important topic in the current period due to the physical and social divergence policies applied, but at the same time require an investment in the best cyber protection techniques because the privacy and confidentiality of the arbitration sessions The advantage of distinguishing arbitration from other means of settling disputes, stressing that arbitration must be in keeping with challenges and able to devise solutions that enhance the effectiveness and speed of arbitration procedures, indicating that the arbitration law in the UAE encourages the use of modern technologies in commercial arbitration.
The Dubai International Arbitration Center organized a virtual symposium titled "The Impact of Covid-19 Virus on Arbitration: Between Challenges and the Practical Aspect" with the attendance of more than 200 participants representing interested and experts from various economic sectors. The virtual seminar discussed the challenges caused by the spread of the Covid-19 virus on arbitration, practical solutions that can be applied and adopted to overcome these challenges, and enhance the role of arbitration as an alternative method for settling commercial disputes. Participants in the workshop reviewed the extent of the application of what is known as "the new natural situation" to arbitration under the Koruna, and whether this period is a temporary stage before the return of arbitration to its previous era in the period before the crisis of Corona.
Participants also discussed how to enhance the efficiency of arbitration procedures under these current circumstances, reviewing virtual arbitration sessions and cyber challenges and gaps that may hinder the privacy and confidentiality of holding such sessions, as the opinions of the speakers in the workshop on this position varied between supporters and opponents of them. The symposium also discussed the role of all concerned parties, such as arbitrators, lawyers, witnesses, institutions and arbitration centers, in overcoming the repercussions of this crisis on the progress of arbitration procedures and mechanisms.
During his opening speech at the symposium, Rashid Shaheen pointed out the importance of the symposium in discussing topical issues, and the effects of the current crisis on arbitration, its mechanisms and practices, stressing that the Dubai International Arbitration Center is interested in learning about the various views of the stakeholders in the interest of arbitration and the rights of the conflicting parties.
The role of the Dubai International Arbitration Center in supporting the process of commercial arbitration in the Middle East region and promoting the exchange of experiences and knowledge is highlighted, as its new Board of Trustees recently adopted a number of plans and strategies that establish Dubai as a global destination for settling commercial disputes.
It is noteworthy that the Dubai International Arbitration Center is an independent, permanent, non-profit organization that aims to provide arbitration services and settle commercial disputes in local, regional and international business communities at reasonable prices. The center provides the latest facilities and best facilities to ensure the quality of its arbitration services and to resolve disputes between commercial parties with the help of a team of international arbitrators familiar with international arbitration assets and their approved procedures.