Riyadh hosted the Judicial Regional Dialogue Program on the New York Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Arbitral Awards, marking the first time the event was held at the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) level.
According to SPA, the program took place during Riyadh International Disputes Week 2025. It was organized through a partnership between the GCC General Secretariat, the International Council for Commercial Arbitration (ICCA), and the Saudi Center for Commercial Arbitration, with support from the Bahrain Chamber for Dispute Resolution.
The event gathered local and international speakers alongside judges from enforcement, appellate, and supreme courts in the region. The dialogue focused on the New York Convention, which serves as the legal backbone of international arbitration and includes 172 member states, including the GCC countries.
The program aimed to facilitate the enforcement of arbitral awards by building cooperation between arbitration and the judiciary. During the event, the second edition of the New York Convention Guide was launched by ICCA to provide a reference for legal practitioners and judges to unify legal perspectives in the Arab world.
What was the purpose of the Judicial Regional Dialogue Program in Riyadh? The program aimed to explore the provisions of the New York Convention and establish a bridge of cooperation between arbitration and the judiciary. By creating a transparent dialogue platform for GCC judges, the event sought to enhance the understanding of the convention to facilitate the enforcement of arbitral awards and turn them into a reality on the ground.
Who organized the dialogue program and who participated in it? The program was held through a strategic partnership between the GCC General Secretariat, the International Council for Commercial Arbitration (ICCA), and the Saudi Center for Commercial Arbitration, with support from the Bahrain Chamber for Dispute Resolution. Participants included local and international speakers as well as elite judges from supreme, appellate, and enforcement courts in the region.
What is the New York Convention and what new resource was launched during the event? The New York Convention is considered the legal backbone of international arbitration and consists of 172 member states, including the GCC countries. During the program, ICCA launched the second edition of the New York Convention Guide, which serves as a comprehensive reference to help judges and legal practitioners apply the convention according to international practices.