Doha Hosts Conference on Alternative Dispute Resolution and Foreign Investment

Doha, September 01 (QNA) - The Conference on the Role of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), Intellectual Property (IP) Protection, and Innovation in Advancing Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) for Sustainable Development kicked off Monday in Doha.

The event is convened in partnership with the Ministry of Commerce and Industry (MOCI), the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), and the International Law Association-the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Branch.

The two-day conference convenes a contingent of scientists, legal experts, and policymakers and laser-focuses on the area of protecting IP rights, spotlighting the alternative means of settling disputes in connection with IP, in addition to weighing in on the potential sustainability policy's contribution to fostering direct foreign investment and entrepreneurship within the critical economic sectors.

In his keynote speech before the conference, HE Minister of State for Foreign Trade Affairs at the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Dr. Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Sayed, affirmed that the State of Qatar gives foremost priority to novel techniques of dispute settlement, such as arbitration and mediation, as key pillars of economic development and investment attraction, by virtue of the effective and quick mechanisms they offer for dispute settlement and boosting investors' confidence.

The conference comes as a continuation of a series of successful works between the State of Qatar and WIPO, which have intensified following the first International Mediation and Arbitration Conference, convened under the theme: “The Role of Intellectual Property in Promoting Economic Growth: Analyzing the Relationship Between Intellectual Property Rights Protection and Foreign Direct Investment Flows,” hosted by Doha last June for the first time in the region, Dr. Al Sayed highlighted.

He stated that the constructive cooperation with WIPO in organizing these conferences is part of the ministry's efforts to achieve the Qatar National Vision 2030, along with the objectives put out in the Third National Development Strategy 2024–2030, to consolidate Qatar's standing as a leading hub of innovation, investment, and sustainable economic growth.

The completion of the ministry's efforts is contingent upon cooperation among public entities, the private sector, and international organizations, as witnessed by this conference, which represents a forum that gathers experts and specialists to deliberate on effective tools required to achieve sustainable development, including advancing the avenues for dispute settlement, supporting innovation, protecting intangible assets, and attracting foreign investment, Dr. Al Sayed underlined.

Dr. Al Sayed further indicated that Qatar-WIPO strategic cooperation is highly consequential for its role in building effective IP systems, which are not merely restricted to rights protection but operate as drivers for innovation and sustainable economic development, in alignment with national goals and global sustainability standards.

President of the International Law Association – GCC Branch, Ahmed Issa Al Sulaiti, said coordinating this conference aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2030, through deepening the public-private sector partnership, alongside the academic and research sector, to support IP and modernize its systems in commensurate alignment with international standards.

This scientific and professional gathering embodies the spirit of constructive cooperation among national, regional, and global institutions in confronting the challenges faced by the IP system and knowledge-based economy in the era of the digital revolution and artificial intelligence; accordingly, multilateral coordination is essential to build an environment conducive to innovation and dispute settlement, added Al Sulaiti.

He pointed out that Qatar's experience in hosting the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 constituted a robust groundwork for building an innovation-based digital economy, asserting that this hosting has provided a role model in applying international IP protection standards, in terms of bolstering the capability of advancing a holistic legal system that ensures protection for IP rights and offers an attractive environment for direct foreign investment in the domains of cutting-edge technologies.

Director of the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center, Ignacio de Castro, affirmed that preparation for this convention has been ongoing since last February and included unlocking a professional training program in collaboration with partners from the State of Qatar, something that manifests the consequentiality of boosting international cooperation and exchanging expertise in advancing IP-associated dispute settlement mechanisms in a manner that contributes to consolidating a supportive legal environment for innovation.

The WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center is undergoing rapid growth in terms of the number of presented cases. The Center registered over 850 cases in 2024, and the number is anticipated to surpass 1,000 for the first time this year, Castro said.

He added that the cases span diverse domains of IP, ranging from trademarks to cutting-edge technological innovations, including the telecommunications sector and emerging technologies.

This trajectory, he says, reflects the growing confidence in the Center's sophisticated mediation and arbitration mechanisms, which serve as a regional and international guarantor of effective dispute resolution.

Dean of the College of Law at HBKU, Dr. Susan L. Karamanian, said this convention underscores the State of Qatar's commitment to strengthening a supportive legal and legislative environment for investment and sustainable development.

She added that the conference is organized as part of a tripartite memorandum of understanding that was signed in 2022 between HBKU, MOCI, and WIPO as a first-of-its-kind deal.

Karamanian further highlighted that arbitration has become a key vehicle for IP-associated dispute settlement, given its complexity and the need for specialized expertise.

She extended her gratitude to the partners of this conference, alongside the efforts marshaled by the teaching staff and students to ensure successful events, asserting that HBKU's College of Law contributes with its research expertise in the areas of trade, investment, and sustainable development to backing Qatar's pathway toward innovation and protecting IP rights.

Source: QNA