SCCA Opens the Doors of its Dubai Office to Businesses
Published Date: 02/02/2023
At an Inauguration Ceremony at DIFC
The Saudi Center for Commercial Arbitration (SCCA) is now open for business at its first regional office located within the Dubai International Financial Center (DIFC). SCCA organized the inauguration ceremony to herald the commercial dispute resolution solutions it will provide at SCCA Dubai to local and foreign businesses in the United Arab Emirates, as well as those operating anywhere in the region.
The ceremony was held at SCCA Dubai in the Al Fattan Currency House tower in DIFC. SCCA Chairman Dr. Walid Abanumay cut the ribbon marking the start of operations at the office. Honored guests at the ceremony included several high-ranking figures from the Emirati judiciary, and members of the SCCA Court and Advisory Committee.
During the opening ceremony, Dr. Abanumay declared that businesses at DIFC, and in the UAE and the Gulf region generally, now have a clear path to benefit from the SCCA’s advanced dispute resolution solutions, while communicating directly with its specialized staff to learn about its services, and use its new, purpose built office to hold arbitration and mediation sessions.
Dr. Abanumay underscored that “SCCA Rules do not specify a presumptive arbitration venue, which is a competitive advantage that allows a dispute – should one occur – to be referred to the SCCA to be administered in accordance with its rules. Meanwhile, it can be stipulated that DIFC will be the arbitration venue and that its courts are the competent courts. This is a model that could be ideal for many companies that operate in or have their regional headquarters in the UAE, and for international companies operating in the Middle East generally.”
SCCA Chairman noted SCCA did not establish a presence in the UAE arbitration environment on the spur of the moment. It is an extension of the longstanding commitment and activity that started with a cooperation agreement signed with DIFC Courts in February 2020. Today, 20% of the members of the SCCA Court are international arbitration figures with permanent residency in the UAE.
According to SCCA CEO Dr. Hamed Merah, SCCA is starting a new chapter in its transformation into a preeminent regional dispute resolution center, after having racked up many successes since its inauguration six years ago. These successes were built on SCCA’s modern procedural rules and an integrated package of commercial arbitration and mediation services consistent with the latest international standards and practices that parties demand.
Dr. Merah added that SCCA recruited qualified, specialized staff to work in its new DIFC office, including the appointment of SCCA Dubai General Director Ms. Fatima Balfaqeeh, an Emirati citizen with a distinguished 20-year legal career. A Saudi professional has been appointed as a Case Counsel, and SCCA Chief of ADR and General Counsel Christian P. Alberti will alternate between SCCA Dubai and Riyadh.
Ms. Balfaqeeh noted that SCCA Dubai will add real value to the ADR industry in the UAE by uniquely combining its deep working knowledge and connection to the realities of Gulf markets with the best the global ADR industry has to offer. SCCA is thus able to create an operating model that does not overlook the existing nor the emerging aspects of the Emirati market, with its local laws and talents. By bringing the benefits of the best of international expertise and practices, SCCA Dubai will contribute to enriching the Emirati justice environment and enhancing the overall attractiveness of its investment environment more globally.