Doha, 03 March 2023 (QT)

By Ashraf Siddiqui

German Business Council Qatar, in collaboration with German Industry and Commerce Qatar Chapter (AHK), recently launched ‘GCC Arbitration Guide’, at the Park Hyatt Hotel, Msheireb Downtown, Doha.

Present on the occasion were Henning Zimmermann, chairperson, German Business Council Qatar (GBCQ); Rebecca Krey from AHK; Dr Aouni AlMousa;              Dr Philipp Stompfe; Martin Brown; Andreas Scherdel of Alexander & Partner Law Firm; and Rita Kaufmann from Strohal Legal.

The book has been published by the German Emirati Joint Council for Industry and Commerce (AHK) and Alexander & Partner. The guide explores the existing arbitration laws and rules applicable in different GCC countries. It highlights the different regulations governing each component of an arbitration process from the arbitration agreement and initiating the arbitration process to the enforcement of an arbitral award.

Highlighting the differences and similarities between the GCC laws on each aspect of the arbitration process, the guide gives a clear overview and analysis of arbitration within GCC.

Oliver Alexander is a Certified Lawyer for International Business Law with a Diploma Degree in English Law from the University of Aberystwyth.

Before establishing Alexander & Partner in April 2013, he has had vast experience serving in the legal field working with multi-billion industrial Preussag Group
in Hannover (1996-1998), then with AlAttiya Legal Consultant and Attorney in Doha (1988-2011),  and as Associated Partner at Amereller Rechtsanwatte in
Berlin and Doha (2011-13).

Alexander has played key role in several major construction and infrastructure projects in GCC countries, especially in Qatar. He has also been involved in major investments by Arab investors in Germany and other European countries.

On the occasion of the book release, the speakers discussed the importance of arbitration which has steadily increased in recent years with more than 80 % of international contracts providing for such.

They noted how arbitration has almost completely replaced state jurisdiction in sectors like industrial plant construction and the construction industry in general.

Arbitration, as a matter of fact, provides a potentially faster and confidential dispute resolution, and represents an equivalent alternative to state court proceedings.

The arbitration courts, the speakers explained, are private courts whose main pillars are the arbitral parties’ autonomy. The parties can thus have their disputes decided by experts in the relevant field chosen by them in accordance with specially adapted procedural rules.