Bahrain Showcases ADR Leadership at Singapore Convention Week

Professor Marike Paulsson, Secretary-General of the Council for International Dispute Resolution of the Kingdom of Bahrain, spoke on Panel during the Building Bridges in ADR: MENA Meets Singapore – A SIDRA Forum, held during Singapore Convention Week 2025. The panel explored the evolving landscape of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) institutions in the Middle East and North Africa, with a focus on innovative frameworks and cross-regional collaboration.

The Forum opened with a keynote address by Guest-of-Honour Mr. Murali Pillai SC, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Law and Ministry of Transport, Singapore. In his remarks, Mr. Pillai spoke of the deepening collaboration between Bahrain and Singapore in the field of international commercial dispute resolution. He welcomed the joint initiatives of the Supreme Court of Singapore and the Bahrain delegation, highlighting the significance of their engagement with users and leading law firms on the pioneering joint venture between the two commercial courts. He further noted the honor of hosting Bahrain’s senior delegation in Singapore to advance this important partnership. Before the forum session, Professor Paulsson held a side conversation with the Mr. Murali Pillai, where they briefly touched upon the success of the Bahrain International Commercial Court (BICC), and the Minister extended his congratulations to the Kingdom of Bahrain for this achievement.

In her intervention, Professor Paulsson underscored Bahrain’s innovative leadership in advancing ADR and transnational justice, as well as its role in shaping collaborative court-to-court initiatives with Singapore. She spoke alongside key representatives from across the MENA region, where the panel emphasized Bahrain’s innovative role in mediation, the unique judicial joint venture between Bahrain and Singapore, and the rising influence of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in handling international commercial disputes.

Professor Paulsson further shared recent developments including Bahrain’s signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), the Host Country Agreement with the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), and Bahrain’s active leadership in UNCITRAL Working Groups. She also detailed the evolving role of the Bahrain International Commercial Court (BICC) and its deepening relationship with the Singapore International Commercial Court (SICC) as a model for judicial partnerships bridging regions.

This panel underscored Bahrain’s position at the forefront of advancing ADR globally. At the same time, the dialogue reflects the growing momentum behind joint initiatives that strengthen ADR ecosystems and build lasting bridges between Asia and the MENA region.