News

11 Jan 2010

Qatar Financial Centre announce collaboration to bring mediator training to the Gulf

On 11 January 2010, the Qatar Financial Centre Civil and Commercial Court and the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution announced today a joint initiative offering courses in Mediator Skills Training. QFC Civil and Commercial Court Chairman Lord Woolf and CEDR's CEO Karl Mackie signed the memorandum of understanding formalizing the new collaboration in front of members of the media.

The signing of the memorandum adds a new chapter to Qatar's legal development, with the document recording (recital (12) the support of HE the Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassem Bin Jaber Al-Thani for the development of the use of Alternative Dispute Resolution and in particular mediation.

As commercial arbitration in the Gulf Region has already experienced significant growth, QFC Commercial and Civil Courts and CEDR expect mediation to follow suit as it offers a flexible fast track route towards settling disputes -- in days rather than months or years, thus saving vital management time and enabling complex projects to remain on track.

The joint QFC Court and CEDR Mediator Skills Training provides a unique opportunity to explore the potential for mediating commercial disputes; and those achieving CEDR Mediator Accreditation will be ideally placed to play a key role in the development of this emerging field, throughout the Gulf. Training consists of a five-day programme of comprehensive tuition in effective dispute resolution where participants are trained in the skills required for effective mediation of commercial disputes and assessed for CEDR Accreditation, widely recognised as a standard of excellence.

Mediations will be held at the QFC Court premises, for which construction commences shortly, where state-of-the art facilities have been specially designed to accommodate mediation and case management. The training sessions will be administered by a joint, integrated, effort by the QFC Court and CEDR in conjunction.

Lord Woolf remarked that the introduction of mediation skills will bring new and significant benefits to fast growing economies such as Qatar and neighbouring Gulf states. "Mediation is about consensual, usually non-evaluative, resolution. Because it works consensually, only mediation can bring in business solutions and reputational answers that lie beyond the powers of a Court or an arbitration tribunal", he said.

"I believe that the QFC Court could not be making a more solid start than with training, and to involve international participation just as the Court and Tribunal does in our other activities. We are delighted to be partnering with CEDR", he added.

CEDR's CEO, Karl Mackie, added that the course "This growth in interest in effective dispute resolution brings with it an increased demand for qualified and experienced dispute resolution professionals, both to act as mediators and to assist their organisations or clients in achieving maximum value from the process.

This course, the first time CEDR training has been made available in the region, offers Gulf-based professionals the opportunity to receive training and assessment for CEDR Accredited Mediator status, and thereby to become one of the pioneers in this emerging field of dispute resolution within the region."

The QFC Civil and Commercial Court and the QFC Regulatory Tribunal (collectively comprising the QFC Judiciary) have been designed to provide the legal infrastructure essential for and underpinning the success of a modern, forward looking financial centre such as the QFC, where international financial bodies and other commercial institutions will only wish to become involved if they are satisfied that it is properly regulated, that it upholds the rule of law, and that its organizational arrangements are transparent. The establishment of the QFC Judiciary completes the Qatar Government's ambitious plan to create a world class financial centre.

To view the press release please click here.

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