● Launching the Arab Court of Arbitration within the framework of the tasks of the Economic Unity Council to achieve Arab economic integration.

● The court is responsible for settling commercial, economic and investment disputes between investors and countries and between countries.

● The establishment of the court received strong Egyptian support, led by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, to promote joint Arab action.

● The Arab Court of Arbitration is using the old building of the Ministry of International Cooperation as a temporary headquarters until the completion of its permanent headquarters in the City of Justice in the New Administrative Capital.

Today, the Ministry of International Cooperation announced the completion of procedures for handing over the former headquarters of the Ministry in the downtown area of Cairo, to become a temporary headquarters for the Arab Court of Arbitration, after the Ministry moved to its new headquarters in the New Administrative Capital, within the framework of presidential directives to enhance joint Arab action and support economic integration.

In this report, the Ministry of International Cooperation reviews the joint work process between the government and the Economic Unity Council, to launch the Arab Court of Arbitration.

What is the Arab Court of Arbitration?

The Arab Court of Arbitration is a permanent, independent, self-contained Arab arbitration body that has all the privileges and immunities that guarantee the independence of carrying out its functions.

Why was the Arab Court of Arbitration launched?

The court was inaugurated within the framework of the tasks of the Council of Arab Economic Unity to achieve Arab economic integration, in implementation of the provisions of the Economic Unity Agreement between the countries of the Arab League establishing this council, and based on the objectives on which this council is based, which is to create a unified Arab arbitration system that takes its place among global and regional arbitration systems, and is It serves as an independent permanent Arab arbitration body.

It is worth noting that the Council of Arab Economic Unity was established as a specialized Arab regional organization in 1964 with its permanent headquarters in Cairo, and in accordance with Article Three of the Arab Economic Unity Agreement, it aims to organize economic relations between Arab countries and consolidate them on foundations that suit the natural and historical ties existing between them, and to achieve the best The conditions for the prosperity of its economy and the development of its wealth, and in the context of joint Arab action, the importance of its work is highlighted in promoting the path of establishing a complete economic unity among the Arab countries, with the aim of creating economic integration between the Arab countries that enables them to face the challenges and economic blocs regionally and internationally.

What is the aim of the Arab Court of Arbitration?

The Arab Court of Arbitration settles commercial, economic and investment disputes through arbitration between investors and states, disputes between one state and another, and disputes between parties in the private sector.

The court aims to settle disputes through arbitration, develop the fields of arbitration, and provide many services, most notably: administering arbitration at the local and international levels to resolve commercial, economic, and investment disputes, establishing an academy to prepare and qualify international arbitrators, raising the level of international commercial arbitration in the region, and establishing a training center for training courses in the field of arbitration and specialized legal and technical fields, drafting contracts of all kinds, providing legal, technical and administrative advice in arbitration cases at the request of the parties, conducting legal and economic research and studies for projects, providing arbitration services in accordance with agreed-upon rules, resolving and settling disputes amicably, and organizing conferences and local and international seminars in the fields of arbitration.

What role did the Arab Republic of Egypt play in establishing the court?

From the beginning, the Arab Court of Arbitration enjoyed the continuous patronage and support of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, intending to support joint Arab action and enhance economic integration among Arab countries. Based on this, the Egyptian government, represented by the Ministry of International Cooperation, Permanent Representative of Egypt to The Council of Arab Economic Unity) strengthened joint work with the Council and intensifying cooperation - in implementation of the provisions of the Economic Unity Agreement between the Arab League countries establishing this Council - in order to reach an agreement regarding the launch of the Arab Court of Arbitration, until the issuance of the decision of the Court’s founding General Assembly on 9/15/2020. By approving the statute of the court, then issuing the decision of the Council of Arab Economic Unity, at the ministerial level, in its 111th session on June 10, 2021, approving the joining of the Arab Court of Arbitration to work within the scope of this council as an independent Arab body.

Where is the headquarters of the Arab Court of Arbitration located?

Given the great importance that this court represents in the field of resolving and resolving commercial, economic and investment disputes in a way that supports and enhances the movement of trade, economy and investment among Arab countries, which is what all Arab countries aspire to, the Egyptian government was keen, in light of the directives of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, to allocate a headquarters for the court in the City of Justice in the New Administrative Capital, and in order to continue providing support to the court to begin its work tasks and until the completion of the permanent headquarters of the court in the new administrative capital, a decision was issued by H.E. Prime Minister Dr. Mostafa Madbouly, last August, allocated the former headquarters of the Ministry of International Cooperation in central Cairo, to become the temporary headquarters of the Arab Court of Arbitration.

What does the structure of the Arab Court of Arbitration consist of?

The structure of the court includes the General Assembly of the Court, then the Board of Trustees, which consists of 15 members and was formed under the chairmanship of Counselor Abdel Wahab Abdel Razeq, former President of the Supreme Constitutional Court and President of the Egyptian Senate, along with four deputies, Mr. Sidi Mohamed Ould Boubakar, Former Prime Minister of Mauritania, Judge Ismail Al-Wazir, Former Minister of Justice in Yemen, Counselor Dr. Abdel Aziz Muhammad Salman, Vice President of the Supreme Constitutional Court in Egypt, and Counselor Hamdi Abu Zaid, Vice President of the State Council and member of the Supreme Administrative Court in Egypt.

The Court’s Board of Directors, headed by Mr. Counselor Farouk Sultan, former President of the Supreme Constitutional Court. Mr. Counselor Magdy Hussein Al-Agati, former Minister of Legal Affairs in the House of Representatives, holds the position of deputy. The Court also includes in the membership of the Board of Trustees and the Board of Directors an elite of judicial and legal figures, public figures and high-ranking statesmen in Arab countries.