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» Arab Association for International Arbitration (A.A.I.A.)
Letter of the Chairman
 The Arab Association for International Arbitration was established in Paris in 1991 during a meeting between arbitrators and law practitioners from the entire Arab world in order to set rules for cooperation among them to protect the Arab trade sector which resort to arbitration. The Association intended to prepare Arab elites for being involved, as arbitrators and counsels, in the issues of international Arab arbitration, especially after arbitration has become vital for trade and international investment, where it has proven its success and efficiency in settling international commercial disputes quickly ensuring a familiar and friendly climate for the parties to the disputes.
We noted that international Arab trade and investments in Arab countries have resorted to arbitration handled by European arbitrators and counsels, notwithstanding the governing Arab laws, which, consequently, are interpreted and applied to the disputes by persons who are not experienced thereto. Indeed, this has caused these laws to be applied only in the form, while remaining unapplied in substance, unless the concerned European arbitrators and counsels have in-depth knowledge of the legal and cultural domains of the Arab countries. However, those competent arbitrators are rarely invited to settle arbitrations where Arab laws apply.
The Arab world had to trace the roots of Arbitration that forms part of its culture and heritage and to exchange its knowledge and information with the contemporary trends in international arbitration to enrich both of them. The pioneer in this perspective was late professor Mohsen Shafic who played a significant role in laying the rules of the UNCITRAL Model Law on International Commercial Arbitration. The Arab Association was also a pioneer in this field by preparing studies published in Arab and international journals, organizing training sessions, seminars and conferences which hone the skills of the Arab lawyers to face the new challenges of Arbitration.
Moreover, the Arab Association assisted in drafting new and modern Arab laws, and ensured the spread of the arbitration culture.
Arab arbitrators are qualified and should play their role in international arbitration especially in international Arab arbitrations, and that is what we are trying to achieve.
Chairman of the Arab Association for International Arbitration,
Dr. Abdel Hamid El Ahdab, Attorney at Law
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