Abu Dhabi: The UAE Ministry of Justice has launched an electronic “mediation” platform as an online alternative to traditional litigation.
The platform is dedicated to settling civil and commercial disputes through registered mediators specialised in completing procedures in one of the two languages (Arabic - English).
Settling disputes
The platform aims to speed up the settlement of disputes, enhance the quality of life of society and reduce the judicial, administrative and financial burden of lawsuits in courts.
The e-mediation platform provides the parties with the opportunity to participate effectively in order to reach the conclusion of a settlement agreement, which must be approved by a competent judge.
This contributes to increasing community confidence in alternative means of litigation and the participation of the private sector to advance economic development and speedy settlement of cases, the ministry said.
Forward-looking solution
This comes within the framework of achieving the national priorities of the UAE in building a forward-looking government centered on achieving results.
The move seeks to lead the country to the best rankings in indicators such as the rule of law and the index of enforcing contracts, preserving human rights and dignity within the vision of “We are the Emirates 2031” in a society open to the world economically and socially whose motto is tolerance and coexistence.
The platform also seeks to achieve its vision of a flexible judicial system that consolidates justice for a secure society and a competitive economy, in response to economic and societal changes and needs.
61.3 %
Reconciliation rate in alternative systems for litigation in the UAEReconciliation rate
The federal courts considered 10,412 civil and commercial disputes in 2022, and the reconciliation rate in the alternative systems for litigation reached 61.3 per cent.
The platform serves clients from the parties to the lawsuits represented by investors, traders, partners, institutions, legal specialists and experts.
The platform contains procedures for registering, renewing and delisting mediators, procedures for non-judicial mediation and judicial mediation, tasks, requests and sessions of mediators, payment of mediation expenses and mediator fees, and preparation of the final mediation report.
Non-judicial mediation procedures
The platform also includes non-judicial mediation procedures, including: submitting the application through the Ministry’s website, examining the application by the supervising judge, determining the initial costs of mediation, paying the expenses from the customer, referring the application to the mediator to carry out the task, holding sessions by the mediator, then preparing the report and referring it to the centre, and reviewing the report before the competent judge and approving the agreement, and determining the final fees of the mediator.
Mediation service
The Ministry of Justice is working to facilitate the process of accessing mediation services and facilitating related procedures for beneficiaries, as the mediation platform affiliated with the ministry has been developed on its website www.moj.gov.ae.
This way, the beneficiary can start registering a mediation request by entering the main page of the ministry through the unified electronic portal or using the digital identity.
Upon entry on the main page, the beneficiary chooses the services of registering and negotiating lawsuits and determines the emirate in which the dispute is located.
The beneficiary then chooses the location of the main court, and then the sub-location of the court is chosen — the option of the mediation and conciliation center in the civil court — and determines the main case type, for example by choosing non-judicial mediation.
Once all the required data is completed and the other party agrees to mediation, the Alternative Litigation Systems Department (ALSD) staff completes other procedures and communicates with the parties concerned.
The use of the electronic mediation platform provides an opportunity for beneficiaries to obtain quick and effective solutions to legal disputes, relying on qualified mediators.
e-Mediation
The platform aims to attract mediators specialised in civil and commercial mediation as registered on the platform, to end disputes that have ended in peace through mediation, and to contribute to raising the percentage of disputes that have ended in peace through alternative means of litigation.
Federal courts considered 10,412 civil and commercial disputes in 2022 AD, and the percentage of reconciliation in alternative systems for litigation reached 61.3
