"Commercial Arbitration" at the "Chamber of Commerce" to hold a seminar on "Arbitration and Mediation in Investment and Business Disputes"

The Kuwait Commercial Arbitration Center, affiliated with the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in cooperation with the Kuwait Bar Association, held a specialized academic seminar titled “Arbitration and Mediation in Investment and Business Disputes” on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, to mark World Law Day. The event took place in the Al-Bawm Hall at the Chamber’s building.

The seminar attracted wide attendance from specialists and stakeholders in legal and investment affairs. A distinguished panel of experts and legal academics presented the key topics, including: Badr Al-Badr, member of the Board of Directors and Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Kuwait Commercial Arbitration Center, and former Chairman of the Board of Directors and the Legal and Technical Committee of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Commercial Arbitration Center; Dr. Yusuf Al-Saleeli, Professor of International Law and faculty member at the Kuwait International College of Law, as well as member of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the Kuwait Commercial Arbitration Center; Dr. Sharaf Al-Sharaf, Professor of Private International Law and Arbitration at the College of Law, Kuwait University; and Dr. Noura Al-Shatti, holder of a PhD in Private Law from the University of Strasbourg in France, and former lecturer at the College of Law, Kuwait University, and the College of Business Studies at the General Authority for Applied Education and Training.

The speakers provided comprehensive legal and practical insights, addressing the importance of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, particularly the criteria and circumstances that make arbitration the optimal choice for companies and investors compared to ordinary litigation, especially when speed of resolution, complete confidentiality, and technical expertise of arbitrators are required. They also highlighted the precise rules and sound legal foundations for drafting arbitration clauses during contract formation, ensuring their enforceability and avoiding any invalidity or ambiguity that could hinder future dispute resolution. Furthermore, they discussed the role of the judiciary in supporting arbitration proceedings, emphasizing the importance of partnership and complementarity between the national judiciary and commercial arbitration, where the judiciary intervenes to provide procedural support, conservatory measures, and enforcement actions that ensure the smooth and effective conduct of arbitration.

In the same context, the speakers outlined the legal mechanisms and international agreements that facilitate the recognition and enforcement of arbitral awards both domestically and internationally, thereby enhancing the confidence of foreign and local investors in the state’s legal system. They also shed light on the role of mediation as a flexible and cost-effective mechanism that contributes to resolving disputes at early stages and preserving the continuity of commercial relationships between parties and businesspeople without resorting to prolonged litigation.

The seminar affirmed that arbitration and mediation form a fundamental pillar in supporting the investment environment and providing legal security for the commercial sector in Kuwait. The core importance of commercial arbitration lies in its being a swift and flexible means to keep pace with the rapid changes in global trade flows and cross-border capital movements, in addition to its role in alleviating the burden on ordinary courts, ensuring confidentiality, and protecting investment relationships.

This event is part of the ongoing commitment of the “Kuwait Commercial Arbitration Center” and the “Kuwait Bar Association” to enhance the competence and legal awareness of participants, and to develop reconciliation and arbitration rules in line with the highest international standards and practices in dispute resolution.