BCDR Participates in Senior Legal Advisors Forum and 125th Anniversary Celebrations of the PCA in Singapore
Members of the Bahrain Chamber for Dispute Resolution (BCDR), participated as part of Bahrain’s delegation, in the Senior Legal Advisors Forum and the 125th anniversary celebration of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) held in Singapore on the 25th and 26th of July 2024.
The event saw the distinguished presence of Judge Jan Paulsson, Judge at the Court of Cassation of Bahrain, and a Judge at the BCDR Court, who spoke on a panel on trends and reforms in international disputes specifically focused on investor state dispute settlement (ISDS). Co-panelists included Dr Hab Marcin Czepelak, the Secretary General of the PCA; Ms Martina Polasek, the Secretary General of ICSID; and Mr Jae Sung Lee, Senior Legal Officer of the UNCITRAL. Judge Paulsson spoke about his experience in ISDS and commended the steps and reforms being taken. He questioned whether the future of ISDS lies with arbitration or with international commercial courts, highlighting the success of the Singapore International Commercial Court (SICC).
The forum served as a platform for exchanging expertise and best practices in resolving international disputes. In addition to ISDS, key topics discussed included mediation and climate change.
Ambassador Mohammed Abdul Rahman Al Haidan, Chief of Legal Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Fatema Al Zayed Al Jalahma, Case Manager at BCDR, also attended as part of the delegation.
The delegation engaged in fruitful discussions with representatives from the PCA and the Ministry of Law of Singapore, exploring opportunities for cooperation, enhancing bilateral relations, and improving international dispute resolution mechanisms amid contemporary challenges.