Mukalla / University Media

The city of Mukalla witnessed on Saturday 10th of October, the inauguration ceremony of the International Office for Arbitration and Dispute Resolution at the Hadhramaut Research Center, affiliated with Al-Ahgaff University. The event aimed to promote a culture of arbitration and raise awareness of dispute resolution mechanisms, contributing to the development of legal and commercial practices and keeping pace with developments in international arbitration.

The ceremony opened with a recitation from the Holy Qur’an, followed by an address from Professor Sadiq Omar Maknoon, Vice President of Al-Ahgaff University and Executive Director of the Hadhramaut Research Center. He conveyed the greetings of the University President, Habib Professor Abdullah Mohammed Baharoon, and highlighted the importance of specialized academic initiatives that connect academic knowledge with professional and community needs.

Professor Maknoon affirmed that the inauguration reflects the Hadhramaut Research Center’s commitment to contributing to professional capacity development, promoting research and training in relevant legal fields, and supporting justice in the business environment.

For his part, Riyadh bin Salah Al-Jahouri, Deputy Governor of Hadhramaut for Development Affairs, conveyed the greetings of Salem Ahmed Al-Khanbashi, Member of the Presidential Leadership Council and Governor of Hadhramaut. He emphasized the commitment of the local authority’s leadership to supporting and developing the Governorate’s institutional and legal environment in line with the requirements of comprehensive development and investment and commercial stability.

Deputy Governor Al-Jahouri noted that establishing the office represents a significant addition to legal and judicial work and a step toward strengthening the culture of arbitration and alternative methods of resolving commercial disputes. He praised the role of Al-Ahgaff University and the Hadhramaut Research Center in serving the community and qualifying and training national professionals in accordance with recognized professional standards.

Judge Taha Omar Al-Haddar, President of the Hadhramaut Court of Appeal, also stressed the importance of this initiative in strengthening the justice system and promoting a culture of arbitration. He expressed his hope that the office would play an active role in raising awareness of the importance of arbitration, developing legal practices, and preparing specialized professionals capable of handling commercial disputes within established legal frameworks.

In turn, Consultant Dr. Hashem Alawi Muqbil, Head of the International Office for Arbitration and Dispute Resolution, delivered an address outlining the importance of inaugurating the office and its anticipated role in promoting a culture of arbitration and dispute resolution, raising awareness of specialized legal mechanisms for addressing disputes, and continuing training and qualification programs to prepare competent professionals in international commercial arbitration.

The inauguration coincided with a ceremony celebrating the graduation of the first cohort of the International Commercial Arbitration Diploma, accredited by the Ministry of Technical Education and Vocational Training. The program had 25 participants from several governorates of the Republic of Yemen and from abroad, with a total of 120 training hours. Graduates received diploma completion certificates, as well as international accredited arbitrator cards issued by the Hadhramaut Research Center.

The ceremony also featured addresses by representatives of the Hadhramaut Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Mukalla Office of the Ministry of Technical Education and Vocational Training. Two recorded addresses were also delivered by Dr. Israr Khan, Director of the Arbitration Office at the Al-Karam International Institute in Pakistan, and Dr. Abdulbasit Al-Hakimi, Head of the Department of Law and Associate Professor of Law at the University of Bahrain. Two additional addresses were delivered on behalf of the first diploma cohort by Dr. Mohammed Bakhdar and lawyer Dawood Abdu Fadhel, who joined via Zoom from Taiz Governorate.

The ceremony included a documentary report highlighting the journey of the Hadhramaut Research Center at Al-Ahgaff University and its achievements over the past ten years.

The event concluded with the honoring of the trainers and graduates of the first cohort of the International Commercial Arbitration Diploma in recognition of their efforts and as an affirmation of the importance of capacity-building and developing national expertise in this field.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Ambassador Saleh Al-Bahsani, Director General of the Hadhramaut Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Professor Ahmed Saleh Khured, Dean of Quality and Academic Accreditation at Al-Ahgaff University; Engineer Faiz Ahmed bin Shamla, Secretary-General of the University; Sheikh Abdullah Omar bin Dowal; Dr. Aboud Mohammed Al-Abal, President of Al-Arab University; Dr. Salem Bamasaoud, Vice President of Hadhramaut University for Graduate Studies and Scientific Research; Mr. Mohammed bin Dahri, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Hadhramaut Research Center; Dr. Mohammed Salem Al-Bouri, Director of Training at the Hadhramaut Research Center; and a number of people interested in legal affairs.