Conference Schedule

As Oman advances towards Vision 2040, arbitration and mediation can play a pivotal role in translating economic ambition into lasting business confidence. This session explores ADR’s role in easing pressure on courts, supporting a diversifying economy, and providing businesses with efficient and reliable routes to resolving disputes. The panel will consider what it takes to build an internationally competitive dispute resolution framework that strengthens Oman’s appeal as a place to invest and do business.

Regional arbitral institutions play an increasingly important role in connecting dispute resolution with the needs of businesses. This session explores how institutional cooperation, procedural innovation, and shared standards can strengthen regional ADR ecosystems. The panel will consider how closer ties with courts and businesses, investment in local expertise, and accessible services for enterprises of all sizes can build confidence in cross-border trade and investment.

Effective dispute resolution is central to the success of global financial centres. This session explores how arbitral institutions and international commercial courts combine specialist expertise, procedural flexibility, and effective enforcement to meet the demands of cross-border commerce. The panel will consider how their complementary roles offer businesses greater choice in resolving complex disputes, strengthen legal certainty, and build international business confidence.

Evolving sanctions and geopolitical shifts are creating new pressures on international arbitration and cross-border commerce. This session explores their implications for contractual obligations, access to arbitration, funding, and award enforcement, alongside practical challenges in payments and case administration. The panel will consider how parties, counsel, and institutions can adapt to these pressures, safeguard procedural fairness, and navigate commercial uncertainty.

Successful public infrastructure projects depend on managing risks and resolving disagreements before they disrupt delivery. This session explores how clear tender documents, balanced risk allocation, and proactive contract management can prevent disputes throughout the project lifecycle. The panel will also consider early intervention and settlement mechanisms, including approval requirements, accountability, and the protection of public funds, to support timely completion, value for money, and fair outcomes.

Embedding mediation in business practice begins with a contract clause and grows through a shared commitment to resolving disputes early. This session explores how businesses can make mediation a natural part of their commercial relationships, preserving value and strengthening partnerships. The panel will consider effective clause drafting, overcoming barriers to early engagement, and building the internal support needed to turn a contractual commitment into an established business culture.

Artificial intelligence is opening new possibilities for how disputes are analysed, managed, and resolved. This session explores its practical applications in international arbitration and mediation, alongside the risks of bias, unreliable outputs, and compromised confidentiality. The panel will consider how practitioners can harness AI’s potential while safeguarding due process, transparency, and the independent human judgement on which trust in dispute resolution depends.

MENA’s evolving arbitration landscape offers valuable insights into the region’s role in international dispute resolution. This session explores caseload trends, user preferences, and developments in regional seats, highlighting the institutional, legal, and commercial factors shaping its appeal. The panel will consider how these insights can guide future development and strengthen the region’s position as a destination for international arbitration.

This session explores legal mechanisms for enforcing mediated settlement agreements, both domestically and internationally. The panel will examine practical considerations in drafting clear settlement terms and navigating cross-border enforcement, with particular attention to the Singapore Convention on Mediation and the legal and procedural frameworks that countries, including Oman, need to establish to support its effective implementation and give businesses confidence in mediated outcomes.