Kuwait- Min. urges promoting Arab cooperation in int'l arbitration

(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) Kuwaiti Minister of Justice and Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Yaacoub Al-Sanaa on Sunday stressed the significance of achieving pan-Arab cooperation in all fields, especially in international arbitration.

Addressing the opening session of the First Arab Conference on International Arbitration that kicked off in Cairo today, Al-Sanaa said Kuwait is eager to effectively participate in Arab events and gatherings.

"Alternative Dispute Resolution" is the main theme of the two-day event organized by the Arab Lawyers Union (ALU), Arab Federation for International Arbitration and the International Arbitration Center.

It will highlight the alternatives to settle disputes outside the typical courtroom, through mediation and reconciliation, in addition to the traditional and modern theories and on the relation between judiciary and arbitration as well as the issue from an Islamic view. Discussions will cover the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) There is dire need for developing 'Arab arbitration' to settle Arab-Arab disputes and conflicts, Al-Sanaa said. He pointed to the enormous challenges in the region, prompting synergy to preserve Arab interests.

The Minister called for opening up fresh prospects for pan-Arab cooperation in the field trough exchange of expertise, urging the Arab League to adopt the idea.

For his part, head of the Egyptian Bar Association, ALU and Arab Federation for International Arbitration Sameh Ashour, lauded Kuwait's support to joint Arab action, hoping the country would host the second Arab conference on international arbitration.

Ashour called for collaboration among the Arab countries to seek amendments to some rules of international arbitration.

Since it was established, almost 10 years ago, the Arab Federation for International Arbitration has contributed much to developing the Arab legal thinking amid absence of arbitration culture in Egypt and many other Arab countries.