The Saudi Center for Commercial Arbitration (SCCA) is organizing its first international conference, SCCA18, in Riyadh on Oct. 15 and 16, in partnership with the International Center for Dispute Resolution affiliated with the American Arbitration Association.

Under the theme “Institutional arbitration: Its importance and effect in economic transformation and investment promotion,” the conference will be sponsored by Minister of Commerce and Investment Majid bin Abdullah Al-Qassabi and Minister of Justice Walid bin Mohammed Al-Samaani.

The conference is part of the SCCA’s efforts to highlight the status of arbitration in the Kingdom, strengthen its position on dispute settlement alternatives on the world map, since it is one of the most influential countries at political and economic levels regionally and internationally, and contribute to achieving Saudi Vision 2030 through finding an environment suitable for investment. The conference will review the best practices related to institutional arbitration within various arbitral institutions, and tackle the most notable practical experiments for alternatives to dispute and challenge settlement facing the region. It will also address the role of other entities that support enhancing the development of institutional arbitration in Saudi Arabia and abroad. The conference will consist of meetings, panel discussions and workshops hosting a select group of ministers, senior officials, and leaders of top arbitration centers. It aims to enrich the discussion about the prospects of boosting the arbitration environment and the effects of the latest developments on arbitration.

Yassin bin Khalid Khayat, chairman of SCCA board of directors, said the conference will tackle a number of challenges facing institutional arbitration in the Kingdom from different legal and commercial directions.

“The conference aims to highlight the status of arbitration in the Kingdom, promote dialogue with the other judicial and legal bodies, and to prepare an environment suitable for local and foreign investments,” Khayat said.

Hamed Merah, CEO, SCCA, said during the event, experts will discuss institutional arbitration and its role in achieving Vision 2030.