London: Dr. Kamal Al Hamad, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council Commercial Arbitration Centre, emphasized the Centre's commitment to rigorous and advanced standards through procedures applied to the registration of arbitrators and experts with the Centre. During an official visit to the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) headquarters in London, joined by Advisory Committee Chair Majid Garoub and committee member Professor Brandon Malone, Head of the Scottish Arbitration Centre, the Secretary-General said that the GCC Commercial Arbitration Centre is committed to adopting the latest international best practices in commercial arbitration, as it aims to become one of the world's top five centres in the field.
According to Bahrain News Agency, the criteria used by the Centre to admit arbitrators and experts form the foundation of its success in delivering professional dispute resolution services and achieving the highest standards of quality and trust. Al Hamad said that by adopting rigorous standards with defined controls, the Centre can select highly skilled and qualified individuals, with the experience and abilities necessary to ensure precise and sound decision-making. This, in turn, encourages parties in dispute to turn to the Centre for resolution and to benefit from its services.
The Secretary-General further noted that among these criteria are legal knowledge, analytical and communication skills, the ability to manage complex situations, impartiality, and a deep understanding of the principles of arbitration and the laws and regulations governing the disputes in question. He said that these stringent standards are regarded as the cornerstone of the GCC Commercial Arbitration Centre's reputation and continued success. The arbitrators and experts they appoint play a vital role in building their standing as a leading commercial arbitration centre, and they reflect the quality and professional standards of the services provided through their mastery of arbitration skills and possession of the necessary professional qualifications and licences.
Al Hamad highlighted that the arbitrator or expert is a neutral third party appointed to assist in resolving disputes outside the traditional court system. To be effective, an arbitrator must possess skills enabling active listening to parties' arguments, fair assessment of evidence, and the ability to make decisions that are prompt, reliable, and just. He also explained that the Centre currently has a large team of arbitrators and specialists across various fields, whose expertise and skills are continuously assessed in line with the Centre's work and the specialised arbitration services it offers.