Abu Dhabi arbitration demand gains momentum

Abu Dhabi’s arbitration centre has recorded a 38 per cent rise in cases between its first and second years of operation, signalling stronger business reliance on the emirate’s formal dispute resolution framework as cross-border commerce expands.

The Abu Dhabi International Arbitration Centre, known as arbitrateAD, has administered 105 matters since it began accepting cases in February 2024. The growth was disclosed in its inaugural Biennial Report 2024–2026, which tracked a broad range of institutional arbitration cases and appointing-authority mandates during the centre’s early operating period.

The figures point to a shift in how companies operating in and through Abu Dhabi are handling commercial friction. Rather than relying solely on court proceedings or ad hoc settlement efforts, more parties are turning to rules-based arbitration that offers confidentiality, specialist tribunals and enforceability across jurisdictions. The trend is particularly relevant for businesses involved in infrastructure, real estate, energy, finance and professional services, where complex contracts often span multiple legal systems.

Construction and real estate disputes accounted for more than two-thirds of arbitrateAD’s caseload, reflecting the scale of Abu Dhabi’s development pipeline and the contractual complexity that typically accompanies large projects. Commercial, energy and professional services disputes also featured in the centre’s work, underscoring its role beyond property-linked claims. The average amount in dispute rose by 19 per cent, suggesting that higher-value claims are now being directed to the institution.

ArbitrateAD was launched by the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry as a successor to the Abu Dhabi Commercial Conciliation and Arbitration Centre, with new arbitration rules taking effect on February 1, 2024. The rules were designed to align the emirate’s arbitration offering with international practice, including digital case management, emergency arbitration, expedited proceedings, award scrutiny and stronger confidentiality provisions.

The centre’s framework gives parties access to institutional arbitration, ad hoc arbitration support and appointing-authority services. Its rules also provide for emergency arbitrator applications, allowing urgent relief before a tribunal is fully constituted. Expedited procedures apply to certain lower-value disputes, offering a faster route for cases that do not require a full-length process.

The default seat under the rules, where parties do not agree otherwise, is Abu Dhabi Global Market, the international financial centre operating under an English common law framework. That feature is significant for international parties seeking procedural certainty, judicial support and a familiar legal environment while maintaining a link to Abu Dhabi’s commercial ecosystem.

Institutional development has been central to arbitrateAD’s positioning. Its Court of Arbitration includes senior international arbitration practitioners, while its case management office has expanded with specialist legal appointments. Maria Mazzawi was appointed Registrar in 2024, and the centre later added legal counsel to support its growing workload. Maria Chedid serves as President of the Court of Arbitration, while Gary Born, a prominent arbitration figure, is Vice-Chairman of the board.

The centre also broadened its dispute resolution platform in January 2026 with mediation rules and adjudicator appointment rules. These additions place arbitrateAD within a wider global movement towards early dispute management, where parties seek to preserve business relationships and control costs before conflicts escalate into full arbitration. The Arabic version of its arbitration rules, released in November 2025, has also widened accessibility for regional users.

Abu Dhabi’s push comes as Gulf jurisdictions compete to attract arbitration work linked to trade, construction, investment and energy transition projects. Dubai, Riyadh, Doha, Bahrain and Singapore have all strengthened institutional arbitration frameworks, increasing pressure on centres to demonstrate procedural efficiency, neutrality and enforceability. Abu Dhabi’s advantage lies in combining its investment environment, ADGM’s legal infrastructure and a growing base of international counsel, arbitrators and corporate users.

The centre’s 2025 recognition at the Global Arbitration Review Awards as the institution that impressed the most gave added visibility to its early progress. The award followed the formation of its arbitration court, leadership appointments and case administration build-out during its first year of activity.

Abu Dhabi’s wider economic strategy has also reinforced demand for predictable dispute resolution. Expansion in financial services, sovereign investment, logistics, clean energy, construction and advanced industries has increased the volume of contracts involving overseas parties. As commercial relationships become more complex, arbitration clauses are increasingly viewed as a standard risk-management tool rather than a fallback mechanism.