Bahrain’s Newly Launched “Global Justice Bay” Highlighted at the Arab Lawyers Forum in Riyadh

Professor Marike Patrani Paulsson, Vice Chairperson of the Bahrain Chamber for Dispute Resolution and Secretary General of The Council for International Dispute Resolution of the Kingdom of Bahrain, participated as a speaker on a distinguished panel at the 7th Arab Lawyers Forum held in the Saudi capital, Riyadh.

During the session, Professor Paulsson highlighted Bahrain’s launch of the Global Justice Bay initiative, announced during the King Hamad Forum for Neutral Justice on 5 November. She described the initiative as a significant step in strengthening Bahrain’s position as an international centre for dispute resolution and legal cooperation, bringing leading global institutions together under one platform to support the justice ecosystem at both the regional and international levels.

Professor Paulsson also discussed Bahrain’s notable progress in the field of international commercial adjudication, including the establishment of the Bahrain International Commercial Court (BICC), one of the first courts in the Arab world to operate bilingually in Arabic and English, with the unique feature of allowing its judgments to be appealed in another jurisdiction, namely the Republic of Singapore. She additionally reviewed Bahrain’s pioneering contributions within the Working Groups of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), particularly her involvement in Working Group II on electronic arbitral awards and the broader future of UN reforms in international arbitration.

She emphasised that these initiatives reflect Bahrain’s growing role in advancing legal innovation, enhancing cross-border judicial cooperation, and strengthening regulatory frameworks, thereby consolidating its leadership in the field of international justice.

Professor Paulsson further discussed Bahrain’s partnership with Singapore, the country’s advanced institutional reforms, and its active steps towards integration with global courts. She also highlighted Bahrain’s collaborations with the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) and the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), noting that these developments have reinforced Bahrain’s status as a hub for legal innovation, judicial excellence, and increased investor confidence in the international business environment.

Her remarks underscored Bahrain’s role in shaping the future landscape of international arbitration, reaffirming the importance of Global Justice Bay as a unified platform for world-class institutions and as a driver of efficient, equitable, and forward-looking dispute resolution services for regional and global stakeholders alike.