International experts and legal advisors will conduct a training program in international arbitration at the Radisson SAS Hotel here from Oct. 21 to 23. Under the slogan “How to Become an International Arbitrator”, more than 1,000 lawyers, legal counsels, judges, specialists in commercial disputes, engineers, accountants, members of chambers of commerce and university students will be introduced to the basic skills necessary for international arbitration. Dr. Fahd Al-Shamrani, Chairman of the Scientific Program Committee and member of the International Arbitration Center in the Gulf Cooperation Council, said that the program will be held under the auspices of the International Center for Arbitration. “The training program will be held under the supervision of the General Organization for Technical and Vocational Training and is designed to identify legal and judicial basics related to the arbitration process and the basis of arbitration and its mechanism in issuing final provisions,” Al-Shamrani said. He added that the meeting is expected to prepare a generation of distinguished judges who will be able to accurately perform their duties when joining the World Trade Organization. According to Al-Shamrani, the program consists of 30 topics, most important of which is introducing arbitration agreement requirements in terms of form, content, the legal nature of the agreement and the parties involved, as well as other methods of dispute settlement. “The program will also highlight the development of the regulation of arbitration in Saudi Arabia and the five types of arbitration. The program will discuss how to choose an arbitrator, and it will examine the proceedings, consideration, arbitration hearings, arbitration drafting and declaration of liability verdict,” Al-Shamrani said. The head of the Scientific Committee of the program estimated that more than 20,000 people were currently working in the area of arbitration as advisers and lawyers in the commercial and industrial sectors, as well as in legal departments. He noted that losing international arbitration cases in the Arab World has led to the loss of millions of dollars. “Heavy losses and millions of dollars in fines are mainly due to the lack of capable professional arbitration when making commercial contracts with foreign companies and organizations. Weak regulations and internal conflicts of investment policies have also resulted in losses because of the lack of high caliber arbitrators in cases tried before international tribunals,” Al-Shamrani added. He pointed out that the Arab World has lost more than 700 cases of international arbitration at international arbitration centers due to the lack of proficiency when drawing up the terms of contracts with foreign companies.
