Dubai: As part of the Government of Dubai Legal Affairs Department’s efforts to continuously develop the skills of its employees, six legal practitioners from the Department obtained international accreditation as accredited mediators in civil and commercial disputes, the department said on Tuesday.
The accreditation was granted by the International Mediation Institute, which offers the world’s highest accreditation in the field.
Dr Lowai Mohammed Belhoul, director general of the Government of Dubai Legal Affairs Department, said that obtaining this accreditation is an additional impetus to the Department’s endeavours in settling complaints and disputes in which the government of Dubai or one of its affiliated entities is a party, as the Department, under its establishing Law No. (32) of 2008, is tasked with receiving complaints and claims made against the government and government entities in the emirate of Dubai, and seeking amicable settlement.
Dr Belhoul explained that, the Department had last year launched a training programme in Arabic and English for the mediation of civil and commercial disputes. It was launched in collaboration with the European Centre (ADR Centre), which specialises in the field of mediation.
Legal practitioners
The training was attended by 20 legal practitioners from the Department, in addition to 59 participants from government entities in the emirate of Dubai and legal consultancy firms registered with the Department to strengthen partnership ties with the relevant entities to develop legal skills and expertise in Dubai.
The programme concluded with the trainees obtaining international accreditation from the International Mediation Institute as accredited mediators in resolving civil and commercial disputes.
Milestone achievement
With this milestone achievement, Dr Belhoul said the Department becomes the only entity in the Arab region and North Africa that boasts this impressive number of mediators holding this type of accreditation and is also the only entity in the world that employs a team speaking Arabic as their native language and holding this international accreditation.
In addition to their proficiency in mediation in both Arabic and English, the team is fluent in four other languages, which reflects the diversity and uniqueness of the communication channels used in resolving cases in line with the best international standards and practices.
