Annual Report 2023

The QICDRC User Committee met twice in 2023, in May and November 2023. Members of the Committee were formally appointed for terms of 2 years in 2023, and we were pleased that so many distinguished practitioners agreed to lend their time and expertise to the QICDRC. The ambit of the Committee’s work will be to comment on policy and/or legal proposals from the QICDRC, proactively provide feedback to the QICDRC on the services that we provide, and proactively to identify and suggest changes to policies/procedures/services of the QICDRC. It is particularly pleasing that the User Committee has a gender balance of 50/50.
 

December 2023 also saw the publication of the inaugural edition of the QICDRC Case Digest in both English and Arabic. This document comprises summaries of the judgments/decisions with the widest applicability in the preceding six months. This publication is particularly important given the significant increase in judgments/decisions handed down by the QICDRC so our jurisprudence can be as widely disseminated as possible. Future editions will be published in partnership with Lexis Nexis, the Court’s Strategic Partner.
 

The Court has appointed Judge Yongjian Zhang, an expert in international commercial dispute resolution with over 40 years of experience in the Chinese judiciary, and Professor Georges Affaki C.Arb, a qualified Avocat before the Court of Appeal of Paris and a Professor of Law at the University of Paris.    

Judge Zhang has a PhD in Civil and Commercial law and has held different posts in the Chinese courts, where he played an active and effective role in promoting judicial reform.

Professor Georges Affaki C.Arb has served as chairman, panel member, and sole arbitrator in a substantial number of prominent commercial and investment conflicts spanning five continents. He has been a Professor of Law at the University Panthéon-Assas (Paris II) since 2002 and has served on the ICC International Court of Arbitration panel for two terms.

QICDRC was delighted to host Lubna Shuja during her Court visit in August 2023. She holds the esteemed positions of first Asian, first Muslim, and seventh female President of the Law Society of England and Wales, in addition to her position as Council member for Sole Practitioners and President of the Law Society. 
 

The Shanghai High People's Court, the Shanghai Financial Court, the Hong Kong Final Court of Appeal, and the Hong Kong High Court were among the structures that our QICDRC team visited in Shanghai and Hong Kong. We were able to assess cutting-edge technologies that hold the potential to enhance and transform its operational environment, foster legal relationships, and identify opportunities for collaborative development and expansion during the visit.

A Memorandum of Guidance was entered into between the Qatar International Court and Dispute Resolution Centre and the Commercial Court of England and Wales with respect to the enforcement of monetary judgements. Guidelines pertaining to the enforcement of money judgements, which require one party to remit a specific amount of money to another, are the objective of this memorandum.

On April 9, the QICDRC had the privilege of hosting H.E. Jean-Baptiste Faivre, the French Ambassador to Qatar, at its courts. The Ambassador convened a meeting with the QICDRC team, which included CEO Faisal Rashid Al-Sahouti.
 

Revised Practice Guidance for Court users has been published, delineating essential protocols including disclosure, witness testimony, appeals, dramatis personae, chronologies, and bundles. Further, parties have been furnished with standardised instructions that illustrate the customary course of events in a case.

The Qatar International Court and Dispute Resolution Centre recently welcomed Óscar Alberto López Jerez, President of El Salvador's Supreme Court of Justice, for discussions on collaborative efforts in judicial matters and enhancing access to justice. This visit fostered a valuable knowledge exchange and experiences, further strengthening our connections within the global legal community.

QICDRC is pleased to announce the launch of the Maroon Book, a comprehensive user guide for proceedings before the Qatar Financial Centre Civil and Commercial Court.

As the number of cases in our workload continues to increase, surpassing twice the count in 2023 compared to 2022, the Maroon Book becomes an essential resource to ensure the smooth passage of litigation through the Court. It covers many aspects including jurisdiction, case principles, claims initiation and defence, case management, trials, witness evidence, disclosure, appeals, and enforcement.

This guide, written in clear and concise language and offered in both English and Arabic, guarantees that any prospective court user or interested observer can effortlessly peruse and understand the court's regulations and processes. In addition, the guide will be consistently revised to include any novel advancements in legislation, protocols, or methodologies.