Highlighted the history of international commercial courts
Doha, Qatar, May 22: Qatar University College of Law (QU-LAWC) held, recently, a conference on “The Rise of International Courts” aimed to highlight the history and development of international commercial courts and the varieties that have emerged in different countries around the world.
Organized under the auspices of Sir William Blair Chair in Alternative Dispute Resolution held by Prof. Francis Botchway and in collaboration with the Qatar International Court and Dispute Resolution (QICDRC), the conference is in fulfilment of the memorandum of understanding, which was signed between QU and QICDRC on 21 February, 2016.
The event’s program featured addresses delivered by Justice Kannan Ramesh (Singapore International Commercial Court), Justice Frances Kirkham (QICDRC), and Prof. Lucy Reed (Singapore National University), and panel discussions by speakers from QU, QIC&DRC, HBKU, UK and elsewhere. They discussed a wide range of topics related to the history of international commercial courts, the factors that make such courts successful, the procedures used in the courts, the relationship between the international commercial courts and arbitration and the contribution of the courts to the legal systems of the countries in which they are located.
In his remarks, Prof. Faouzi Belkanani, representing LAWC Dean Dr. Mohamed bin Abdul Aziz Al-Khulaifi said: “Through organizing and hosting this conference, LAWC demonstrates its role in actively contributing to the various legal sectors. The State of Qatar is among the countries that established the Qatar International Court and Dispute Resolution under the autopsies of the Qatar Financial Center for the resolution of commercial disputes. The conference discussed how to take advantage of the possibilities of commercial courts and how to develop their systems in line with the regulations of their relevant countries to drive forward economic development. It also focuses on the competencies, procedures and role of these courts in the settlement of disputes and their impact on the economy.”
Professor Francis Botchway, QU Professor of Law and Sir William Blair Chair in Alternative Dispute Resolution, concluded the conference with emphasizing the importance of such courts and Qatar’s pioneering role in its development. He thanked the speakers and participants and invited them to next year’s conference on March 2019 at Qatar University.