The purpose of this Practice Note is to provide the reader with a general overview of the procedure involved with pursuing an arbitration under the DIAC Arbitration Rules of 2007, as subsequently amended in 2011 (DIAC Rules), starting from the request for arbitration up to enforcement.

In November 2017, the Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC) announced that DIAC's 2018 Arbitration Rules would be issued. The new Rules are still awaiting final approval before being enacted by Decree of the Ruler of Dubai.

DIAC: Dubai International Arbitration Centre.

DIAC Rules: Dubai International Arbitration Centre Rules 2007, as amended in 2011.

Claimant: The party initiating arbitration proceedings.

Respondent: The party responding to the claim filed by the Claimant.

Executive Committee: Executive Committee of the DIAC.

Arbitration agreement: The DIAC Rules define an arbitration agreement as “an agreement in writing by the parties to submit to arbitration all or certain disputes which have arisen, or which may arise between them; an arbitration agreement may be in the form of an arbitration clause or in the form of a separate contract.”

Arbitration Law: Federal Arbitration Law No 6/2018.

RFA: Request for Arbitration.