Dubai: The 2022-2024 strategic work plan for the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) Courts was approved on Sunday.
The new three-year plan outlines a drive for full digital transformation through advanced technologies to increase the efficiency of dispute resolution. A new hyperconnected judicial network will also be developed alongside legal procedures for enhanced accessibility to court services.
“The DIFC Courts has strived to set industry firsts, offering a distinctively international and experienced court service proposition, able to deal with the most complex transnational disputes. The maturity of its service mandate and the rapid pace at which this service efficiency has evolved, highlights the integral role the DIFC Courts has in supporting Dubai and the DIFC’s status as a global business hub by engendering trust, confidence, and protecting business continuity,” said Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and President of the DIFC.
“Today, we approved the new Strategic Work Plan serves to further instill confidence that the DIFC Courts will forge ahead to shape the new dynamics of global dispute resolution. The Strategic Work Plan built to actively support DIFC strategic objectives and to launch a new era of legal technological infrastructure that meet current requirements.”
As a part of the Strategic Work Plan, a new international court specialised in digital economy will be launched. A new centre for Will Deposit will be established in addition to a comprehensive Digital Will Management System and an advanced CRM. The DIFC Courts will also offer multi-lingual consultancy services.
Innovative implementations will bridge barriers of language, borders, jurisdiction and currency, while AI will reduce clerical burdens, help streamline the case review methodology, create a realistic virtual presence, remove document duplications, and unlock time to take on significantly more complex tasks.
Justice Omar Al Mheiri, Director, DIFC Courts, said: “Increased digital platforms, paperless processes and virtual hearings are all now becoming the new reality. Expectations from the private sector increasingly require the bold engagement of public service. There are endless opportunities for increased service to the public, even in moments of apparent global crisis. Recognising these opportunities to further assist communities, whether individuals, SMEs, or large multi-national businesses, requires constant collaboration, innovative discussion, and the nimbleness for rapid execution. By combining a modern and flexible digital infrastructure with judicial and service excellence, the DIFC Courts will continue to set the benchmark for international commercial courts.”
