In order to encourage constructive dialogue amongst parties and to encourage the use of conciliation to resolve disputes that may arise in respect of projects in Qatar, the Qatar International Center for Conciliation and Arbitration (QICCA) adopted a new set of Conciliation Rules in May 2012 (the “QICCA Conciliation Rules”), which are modelled on the UNCITRAL Conciliation Rules. In the wake of this welcome development, the Qatar International Court and Dispute Resolution Centre (QICDRC) has also prepared its own draft conciliation rules, which are expected to come into force in the near future. At contract drafting stage, parties to international contracts may now elect for the QICCA Rules, or those of the QICDRC (once adopted), as the procedural rules governing disputes arising under those contracts as an alternative to the more commonly used international institutional rules (such as the ICC Rules). 

The Conciliation Process under the QICCA