Sharjah: As part of Sharjah's integrated strategy to develop its judicial system in accordance with the highest international standards and practices, the Sharjah Judicial Department participated in Singapore Convention Week 2025.
According to Emirates News Agency, the delegation was led by Judge Dr. Mohammed Obaid Al Kaabi, Head of the Department, and included Judge Dr. Omar Obaid Al Ghul, Head of the Courts of First Instance in Sharjah, and Judge Hossam Hassan Al Yamahi, Head of Court of First Instance at the Department. This participation aligns with the directives of H.H. Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Deputy Ruler of Sharjah and Chairman of the Sharjah Judicial Council, emphasizing the importance of enhancing the Department's presence in international judicial forums and events, and gaining exposure to best practices in the judicial and legal fields regionally and globally.
The delegation commenced its visit with a comprehensive meeting with the Chief Justice of Singapore, attended by Supreme Court judges and officials responsible for international cooperation and smart judicial applications. Discussions centered on prospects for bilateral cooperation, exchanging expertise in supporting alternative means of dispute resolution, and the integration of modern technologies and artificial intelligence in judicial work.
Both sides explored methods to strengthen the judicial system in Sharjah, consolidate its international presence, and foster active participation in networks of international judicial cooperation. The delegation reviewed Singapore's Supreme Court practices in promoting alternative dispute resolution through mediation and arbitration.
Dr. Al Kaabi expressed his appreciation to the Chief Justice of Singapore, emphasizing Sharjah's commitment to developing its judicial system. At the conclusion of the meeting, both parties agreed to continue cooperation across various areas related to judicial work and judicial technologies.
The visit also featured a presentation by Dr. Al Kaabi at a symposium during Singapore Convention Week, organized by the Singapore International Dispute Resolution Academy under the theme 'Building Bridges in Alternative Dispute Resolution: The MENA Region Meets Singapore'. Participants included judiciary and legislature members as well as institutions specializing in arbitration and mediation from Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, and Morocco.
The symposium included three sessions. During the third session, titled 'The judicial system and its role in promoting alternative dispute resolution in the Middle East, North Africa, and Singapore', Dr. Al Kaabi discussed Sharjah's efforts to strengthen civil and commercial alternative dispute resolution mechanisms and restorative justice approaches. He emphasized the importance of collective efforts from government and private sector partners to achieve legislative and societal goals and highlighted the Department's commitment to leveraging artificial intelligence technologies to build an integrated dispute resolution system and enhance mediation and arbitration.
On the sidelines of the visit, the delegation met Professor Nadja Alexander, Director of the Singapore International Dispute Resolution Academy, to explore cooperation opportunities in training, development, and capacity building for judiciary members and staff in Sharjah. The delegation also visited the Singapore Academy of Law, where they engaged with the Academy's leadership, received a detailed briefing on its departments and training mechanisms, and discussed avenues for joint cooperation in training mediators and settlement practitioners.