23 Apr, 2026
The Saudi Center for Commercial Arbitration (SCCA) recently published an international article on developments in the Saudi arbitration industry during 2025, as part of The Middle Eastern and African Arbitration Review, issued by Global Arbitration Review (GAR).
SCCA provided in its review a comprehensive overview of developments in the industry over the past year, highlighting the Kingdom’s efforts to advance its arbitration and dispute resolution ecosystem, based on five key pillars: responsive legislation; robust governmental support; seamless judicial cooperation; empowered human talent; and digitalisation, automation and artificial intelligence.
The review covered several themes, most notably the findings of an analytical study prepared by SCCA for the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) on arbitration in Saudi Arabia in light of the UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration. The study highlighted the continued support of the Saudi judiciary for arbitration, as well as the limited number of annulment cases on grounds related to Sharia or public policy.
The study provided an overview of the draft Saudi Arbitration Law (2025), which covers several aspects that collectively enhance predictability and reduce uncertainty, particularly in cross-border cases.
The SCCA review also addressed developments in its caseload, recording 182 new case filings in 2025—a substantial increase of 63% compared to the previous year—with the total value of amount in dispute exceeding USD 1,07 billion. SCCA has experienced sustained double-digit growth over the past five years.
To view the full review, please click here.
