Madrid: Professor Marike Patrani Paulsson, Secretary-General of the Bahrain Council for International Dispute Resolution, spearheaded a high-level discussion on the future of arbitration during the 27th Congress of the International Council for Commercial Arbitration (ICCA) in Madrid. This pivotal session was hosted by Hawar Circle in collaboration with the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb).
According to Bahrain News Agency, the session gathered prominent figures from the international arbitration community, including the drafters of the CIArb London Principles and the Hawar Principles. Notable participants included Kevin Nash, Director General of the London Court of International Arbitration; Mohamed Abdel Wahab, Judge at the Bahrain International Commercial Court; Reza Mohtashami KC, Board Member at the Bahrain Chamber for Dispute Resolution; and Anna Joubin-Bret, Secretary of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL).
The discourse centered around the future of dispute resolution, delving into the practical application of core principles. Participants examined trends in modern arbitration and explored strategies to advance its development. The dialogue aimed to identify new approaches to safeguard international commercial arbitration and enhance its credibility within a swiftly changing legal and technological landscape.
Building on insights from the inaugural Hawar Circle meetings, the session addressed the concept of a "safe seat" amid contemporary legal, procedural, and technological advancements. Key topics discussed included procedural integrity, transparency, efficiency, ethics, interim measures, sanctions, third-party funding, and legal technology. These discussions contributed to the formulation of the Hawar Principles, which are now open for public feedback via the initiative's dedicated website, https://hawarcircle.org/.