DIFC Courts highlight arbitration and mediation role at Dubai Arbitration Week 2026
The Dubai International Financial Centre Courts reinforced Dubai's position as a global dispute resolution hub during Dubai Arbitration Week 2026, hosting a panel on how arbitration, mediation and judicial proceedings can be used together in complex cross-border commercial disputes. The session was titled "The Evolving Relationship Between Arbitration, Mediation and the Courts: Strategic Pathways to Resolution." The discussion brought together judges, legal practitioners and corporate clients to assess integrated dispute resolution mechanisms.
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Participants examined when mediation should be deployed, how it should interact with arbitral proceedings, and what role courts should play in supporting settlement and enforceable outcomes. The panel said corporate users are increasingly looking beyond arbitration, mediation and litigation as standalone processes.
Wayne Martin, Chief Justice of the DIFC Courts, said the continued activity of the courts' Arbitration Division reflects the role of judicial oversight in arbitration proceedings. He said the Arbitration Division and the Mediation Service Centre provide complementary pathways for commercial disputes, supported by judicial expertise, procedural certainty and established mechanisms for enforcement.
Justice Omar Al Mheiri, Director of the DIFC Courts, said an effective dispute resolution ecosystem is fundamental to a competitive global business environment. He said the courts are focused on strengthening legal infrastructure that supports business confidence, investor certainty and cross-border commercial activity, and said this work contributes to the Dubai Economic Agenda D33 and Dubai's wider digital transformation.
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The source also says the Mediation Service Centre offers confidential mediation in person and online, with settlement agreements eligible for enforcement through the DIFC Courts. It says the specialised Arbitration Division was founded in 2020 and recorded 37 claims in the first half of 2026 with a combined value of AED 3.2 billion, about 65% of the AED 4.95 billion in claims recorded during 2025.
