UAE launches new mediation and conciliation framework

Abu Dhabi: The Federal Supreme Council of the Judiciary has announced the launch of an integrated legislative and regulatory framework for mediation and conciliation in civil and commercial disputes, in implementation of Federal Decree-Law No. (40) of 2023 concerning Mediation and Conciliation in Civil and Commercial Disputes. This framework has been introduced through the issuance of eight strategic resolutions that establish a modern structure for alternative dispute resolution, align with digital transformation, and support a flexible and secure legal environment.

Resolution No. (90) of 2025 approved the establishment of specialized mediation and conciliation centers in Ajman, Fujairah, Umm Al Quwain, and Dibba Al Fujairah, to serve as effective platforms for resolving disputes outside the court system. The resolution defines the jurisdiction, functions, administrative affiliation, and oversight mechanisms of these centers.

The regulatory framework commenced with Resolution No. (18) of 2025, which approved a comprehensive regulatory bylaw governing judicial and consensual mediation and conciliation procedures. The bylaw sets out detailed provisions covering referral mechanisms, the selection of mediators, mediators’ fees and expenses, voluntary and mandatory conciliation procedures, session management, confidentiality safeguards, the drafting of settlement agreements, and the endorsement of such agreements with an enforcement formula granting them the same executory force as judicial judgments. It also regulates objection procedures to settlements and establishes an electronic mediation and conciliation platform.

Resolution No. (19) of 2025 followed, providing for the establishment of a Committee for the Admission of Conciliators and Mediators within the Judicial Inspection Department. The Committee is entrusted with the registration, renewal, and removal of mediators, the nomination of conciliators, and the examination of complaints and grievances. The resolution establishes transparent grievance mechanisms, allowing objections within 30 days and mandating adjudication within 15 days, as well as the creation of official registers to ensure oversight and quality control.

In the same context, Resolution No. (20) of 2025 regulates the affairs of conciliators, specifying the conditions for appointment, training requirements, duties and powers, cases of recusal, removal, replacement, and the mechanisms governing such replacement, in addition to technical supervision and disciplinary measures.

Ministerial Resolution No. (711) of 2025 sets out the controls and procedures for disciplining conciliators, through the formation of a specialized committee to investigate violations, define its mandates and working procedures, and impose appropriate sanctions. Such sanctions range from written notice and warning to salary deductions or suspension from work, with the possibility of recommending dismissal in serious cases, thereby ensuring professional discipline and safeguarding public confidence in the alternative justice system.

Resolution No. (91) of 2025 includes the Code of Professional Conduct for mediators and conciliators, establishing principles of integrity, transparency, and impartiality, and imposing strict rules to protect confidentiality. It prohibits media engagement that could compromise confidentiality, bars conciliators from advertising their services, and regulates mediators’ fees through written, fair arrangements that are not contingent upon the outcome of mediation, with disciplinary measures prescribed for violations.

Resolution No. (92) of 2025 regulates the affairs of mediators, defining the rules for registration, renewal, and removal, training periods, insurance requirements, cases of ineligibility, challenge and recusal, as well as mediators’ powers and prohibited practices.

Finally, Resolution No. (710) of 2025 aligns with the State’s digital transformation agenda by regulating the conduct of mediation and conciliation sessions remotely. It recognizes the validity of attendance via visual communication technologies, subject to identity verification using the UAE Digital Identity (UAE PASS) or Emirates ID. It prohibits the recording or photographing of sessions to ensure confidentiality, permits the remote hearing of witnesses and the use of interpreters, allows electronic notifications by agreement of the parties, and mandates the use of approved systems subject to information security policies.

Commenting on the issued resolutions, Abdullah bin Sultan bin Awad Al Nuaimi, Minister of Justice and Chairman of the Federal Supreme Council of the Judiciary, stated: “These resolutions represent a qualitative leap in the development of alternative justice, in line with the State’s strategic direction towards a digital, flexible, and proactive judicial system.”

He added that these measures contribute to expediting the resolution of disputes, reducing costs, and enhancing confidence in the judicial system, while granting settlement agreements executory force equivalent to judicial judgments. They also place the State at the forefront of jurisdictions adopting global best practices through innovative approaches, and support an open government model that promotes transparency and keeps pace with digital transformation.

He further noted that the adoption of mediation, conciliation, and commercial arbitration as integral components of judicial practice reflects a comprehensive approach that enhances investment attractiveness through speedy procedures and the efficiency of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, which have become a core element of the judicial system and a widely adopted practice reflecting the flexibility and efficiency of the UAE’s business environment.

He commended the efforts of the working teams that delivered this integrated framework within a record timeframe.

These regulations reflect the Federal Supreme Council of the Judiciary’s commitment to establishing a modern judicial system characterized by efficiency, flexibility, and proactivity, enhancing user confidence and the effectiveness of justice, and relying on digital and alternative solutions as effective pathways to achieving sustainable justice.

This step is also aligned with the objectives of the “We the UAE 2031” vision to build a pioneering, high-performance judicial system, and supports the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 16 related to promoting peace, strengthening the rule of law, and building effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions, thereby reinforcing the UAE’s position as an advanced and competitive model in the development of judicial systems and in keeping pace with global transformations.