Abu Dhabi: Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan has issued a new resolution establishing a specialised Commercial Mediation Centre under the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry to strengthen commercial dispute resolution mechanisms and support Abu Dhabi’s business environment. The move comes under Resolution No. 28 of 2026 issued by Sheikh Mansour in his capacity as Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department.
According to the resolution, the Commercial Mediation Centre will operate under the financial and administrative umbrella of the Abu Dhabi Chamber while remaining under the supervision and oversight of the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department. The centre will be headquartered at the chamber’s premises, with provisions allowing the establishment of additional branches across the emirate to expand accessibility and service coverage.
The newly established institution aims to enhance the commercial dispute resolution framework by managing mediation proceedings through a modern institutional structure focused on resolving disputes amicably and cost-effectively. The centre will also work to encourage mediation as a faster and more flexible alternative to traditional litigation, while promoting governance, neutrality, integrity, and fairness in dispute settlement procedures.
Under the resolution, the centre has been granted broad authority to handle disputes through court-referred mediation, consensual mediation, and other alternative dispute resolution mechanisms. It will provide mediation services for both local and international commercial disputes in accordance with UAE laws and the centre’s internal regulations.
The resolution further states that settlement agreements reached through the mediation centre will be ratified by a supervising judge, granting them the legal force of an executory instrument under the UAE Federal Civil Procedures Law, enabling direct enforcement.
The initiative is expected to strengthen Abu Dhabi’s position as a regional business and investment hub by providing faster, more efficient, and business-friendly dispute resolution services.
