DOHA: Chief Executive Officer of the Qatar International Court Faisal bin Rashid Al Sahouti affirmed that over the past 15 years, the Court has played an important role in advancing judicial and legal thought in the country and contributing to the consolidation of the principles of the rule of law.
He highlighted the significant impact of its establishment in strengthening the investment environment at the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC), and subsequently in the free zones, by providing a specialized and independent judiciary to adjudicate disputes falling within its jurisdiction.
In an exclusive interview with Qatar News Agency (QNA) marking the 15th anniversary of the Court’s establishment, Al Sahouti noted that throughout its history, the Qatar International Court has established numerous important judicial principles and rules, particularly in commercial and investment disputes and employment disputes within the QFC. He said the Court had become one of Qatar’s prominent institutions of justice, playing an active role in developing the country’s judicial system and enhancing its standing internationally.
Regarding the Court’s impact on the competitiveness of Qatar’s economy, its Chief Executive Officer explained that this impact was measured not only by the number of cases heard or judgments issued by the Court, but also by the extent to which the judicial system contributes to providing a stable, reliable and investment-friendly legal environment.
In this context, he highlighted the continued growth of the QFC, noting that, according to its Economic Impact Assessment Report issued last June, the number of companies registered with the QFC had exceeded 4,700 by the beginning of 2026.
The QFC also contributed 2.2 percent of the country’s gross domestic product, amounting to QR17.4 billion, and 3.5 percent of Qatar’s non-hydrocarbon GDP in 2024, according to the same report. In addition, companies registered with the QFC managed assets worth QR152 billion.
He said these figures underscored the importance of having an effective and specialized judicial system capable of keeping pace with expanding economic activity and strengthening confidence and stability in the business and investment environment.
Al Sahouti highlighted the numerous transformations and important milestones in the Court’s development over the past 15 years.
Among the most significant was the granting of jurisdiction over arbitration matters under Arbitration Law No. 2 of 2017, which represented an important milestone and demonstrated the Qatari legislator’s confidence in the Court’s role in international commercial arbitration and the intention for it to play a leading role in supporting and developing Qatar’s international commercial arbitration framework.
