Regional New York Convention Roadshow in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Report written by Adam Jankowski.
Building on the success of the 2024 New York Convention Roadshow in Riyadh, on 27 February 2025, ICCA once again joined forces with the Saudi Center for Commercial Arbitration (SCCA), this time also with the Gulf Cooperation Council for the Arab States (GCC), and the support of the Council for International Dispute Resolution of the Kingdom of Bahrain (CIDR), to host a second edition of the Roadshow in the capital of Saudi Arabia, this time at a regional level.
The Roadshow, held as a closed-off event forming part of the Riyadh International Disputes Week 2025, convened over a dozen judges from the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, facilitating lively discussions and an exchange of experience and best practices on the recognition and enforcement of foreign arbitral awards.
The Roadshow was opened by a Mr. Abdulmajeed Ahmed Al-Sa'adi, Head of Legislative Affairs of the GCC Secretariat, followed by a welcome address by Dr. Hamed Merah, CEO of the SCCA, who also moderated the event. An introduction to ICCA and its judicial outreach activities was delivered jointly by Mr. Audley Sheppard KC, who was recently announced as President-Elect of ICCA and Prof. Andrés Jana, Chair of ICCA’s Judiciary Committee.
The substantive sessions began with an update by Dr. Merah on “Arbitration and ADR in the Era of Digital Transformation”, which was followed by an introduction to the New York Convention, its objectives, means of interpretation and salient comparative judicial application by Prof. Jan Paulsson, Honorary ICCA President.
The first workshop covered arbitration agreements under the New York Convention and was led by Dr. Mohamed Abdel Raouf, member of ICCA’s Judiciary Committee, with Ms. Samaa Haridi, ICCA Executive Body member, introducing the scope of application of the Convention and Dr. Habib Al Mulla, SCCA Court member, providing the basis for a discussion on the referral by court to arbitration.
The second workshop, moderated by ICCA Governing Board member Prof. Dr. Mohamed S. Abdel Wahab, with co-discussant, Ms. Sara K. Aranjo, who is an SCCA Court member, explored the procedure for enforcement, conditions to be fulfilled by the petitioner and the grounds for refusal of enforcement by national courts.
Thereafter, Judge Fatima Faisal Hubail of the Supreme Civil Court of Appeal of Bahrain delivered insightful updates and opened the floor for discussion on recent developments regarding the enforcement of foreign arbitral awards in the GCC countries.
During the final workshop of the day, the judges discussed enforcement of “Arab” arbitral awards and issues of public policy under the New York Convention and the Riyadh Convention, as introduced and moderated by Prof. Georges Affaki, Justice of the Qatar International Court and Dr. Emad Hussein, independent arbitrator.
The Roadshow concluded with an official launch of Second Edition of ICCA’s Guide to the Interpretation of the 1958 New York Convention in Arabic by Prof. Jana and Prof. Marike Paulsson, member of the ICCA Judiciary Committee.
The Arabic translation of the Guide, prepared by Dr. Ahmed Husain, CEO of the Bahrain Chamber of Dispute Resolution, and reviewed by Dr. Abdel Raouf and Ms. Aysha Mutaywea, Partner at Mena Chambers Bahrain, was distributed to all participants at the Roadshow. The Second Edition in various language versions may be downloaded here.
ICCA’s thanks go to the SCCA, the GCC Secretariat and the CIDR for co-hosting and supporting the event, as well as their warm welcome and interest.