Round Table Legal Discussion and MOU
The Qatari Businessmen Association held a round table legal discussion with the Qatar International Court and Dispute Resolution Centre – QICDRC to discuss the duties of the court and its legal specialty in solving legal issues and disputes, followed by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in the presence of H.E. Lord Phillips, the newly appointed President of the QICDRC, during his visit to Doha.
Headed by QBA’s Chairman Sheikh Faisal bin Qasem Al Thani , First Deputy Chairman Mr. Hussein Al Fardan, Second Deputy Chairman Dr. Sheikh Khalid bin Thani Al Thani, board member Mr. Sherida Saad Jubran Al Kaabi, in addition to QBA members, Mr. Abdel Hameed Mustafawi, Mr. Nasser Sulaiman Al Haidar, Mr. Maqbool Habeeb Khalfan, and Mr. Seraj Al Baker.
H.E. Lord Phillips was present from the QICDRC side, along with the CEO Robert Musgrove and the courts special advisor Mr. Robin Knowles.
The MoU reflects the QBA and QICDRC’s shared vision of helping with the development of the country’s business and legal infrastructure to the highest international standards in line with Qatar’s National Vision 2030. Central to this shared vision are improving the professional skills and practices of Qatari businesses, promoting openness, fairness and transparency in business dealings and promoting confidence in Qatar’s business environment and legal systems.
The MOU also provides a framework for the improvement of legal awareness for Qatari businesses. This will include an “Early Warning Service,” when new laws or regulations are passed that may affect commerce, provided by Lexis Nexis. Christopher Grout, the QICDRC Acting Registrar, will also provide a monthly commentary on relevant international legal developments.
In his word, Sheikh Faisal explained that the development of the legal infrastructure is an essential factor to the progress of the economy and in pushing the economic development, since the presence of such specialized legal bodies and entities encourages the foreign investors and protects the companies’ rights while reducing the long procedures in dispute resolution. Moreover the presence of this body also creates awareness to the local business community in addition to foreign investors, who in turn become knowledgeable about laws and regulations.
Robert Musgrove, QICDRC CEO said: “the QICDRC is committed to promoting the strong rule of law in Qatar and we look forward to working closely with the QBA and other court users in this respect, such as through protecting the legal rights of international investors and supporting effective anti-corruption measures across the country.
Through increased cooperation between the QICDRC, QBA and other court users, we hope to make significant strides towards developing a world class commercial and legal environment in Qatar as a platform to foster trade relationships and attract investment” he added.