The Mediation Summit 2026, held in Dubai, brought together over 250 participants and 26 expert speakers from across the region and internationally for a full day of dialogue, insight, and forward-looking discussion on the evolving role of mediation in the UAE and across the MENA region.

Organized by the Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC) in partnership with the Mediation Hub MENA, the Summit reflected the growing institutional commitment to mediation as a cornerstone of modern dispute resolution and business governance.

Opening the Summit, Robert Stephen, Registrar of DIAC, and Dr. Ahmad Alozn, PhD, Founder of The Mediation Hub MENA, set the tone for a day focused on credibility, integration, and scale. Their remarks emphasized mediation's expanding role within legal systems, commercial frameworks, and public-sector projects.

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Global Perspectives and Institutional Leadership

The Summit featured three major keynote addresses and five dynamic discussion panels, creating a comprehensive program that balanced strategic vision with practical application. Keynote speakers included H.E. Eng. Maysarah Eid, Director General of the Abu Dhabi Projects and Infrastructure Centre, Sir Robin Knowles, Judge of the UK High Court (Commercial Division), and H.E. Sarah Shaw, CEO of the National CSR Fund (MAJRA). Their interventions highlighted mediation's increasing relevance within judicial ecosystems and large-scale infrastructure and government projects, and the increasing reliance on collaborative dispute prevention. Furthermore, the Summit featured important participation by key and leading justice regulatory bodies from the UAE public sector, such as a very generous delegation both from the UAE Ministry of Justice, and the Government of Dubai Legal Affairs Department.

Panel I: International Trends and Local Developments, moderated by Christine Maksoud, Founder and Executive Director of The Mediation Hub MENA, explored global best practices and regional adoption. Panelists included Ali Al Aidarous, Gary Birnberg, and Shaikha Al Qattan, who examined how mediation frameworks are being implemented in practice across jurisdictions.

This was followed by Panel II: The Dispute Resolution Spectrum – When Mediation Makes Sense, moderated by Dr. Ahmad Alozn, Founder of The Mediation Hub MENA, bringing together representatives from arbitration, government, and corporate sectors to discuss how mediation integrates within the wider legal, commercial and financial ecosystems. The morning sessions concluded with a dedicated focus on Mediation and ESG, featuring remarks by H.E. Sarah Shaw, CEO of the National CSR Fund (MAJRA), underscoring mediation's role in translating ESG commitments into measurable, credible behavior.

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From Frameworks to Practice

The afternoon sessions shifted the focus from policy to practice. Panel III: Sector-Specific Disputes Relevant to the Region addressed real-world applications of mediation in high-stakes sectors. Part I, moderated by Kim Rosenberg of Freshfields LLP, focused on Construction, Infrastructure, and Development Disputes, featuring experienced international mediators and arbitrators. Part II, moderated by Henrietta Jackson, Founder of IPOS Mediation, examined Family Business and SME Disputes, highlighting that mediation in these contexts protects not only capital, but legacy, identity, and trust. A forward-looking presentation by Fabiola Keramidas, President of the Chamber of Conciliation, Arbitration and Intercultural Mediation (Brazil), addressed digitalization, confidentiality, cultural considerations, security, and the responsible use of AI tools in mediation.

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The Future of Mediation in the UAE

The Summit concluded with Panel IV: Mediation Challenges and Future Outlook, moderated by Zouhdi Yakan, with speakers examining innovation, data, technology, and market readiness. In her closing remarks, Christine Maksoud emphasized that while the UAE mediation ecosystem is rapidly taking shape – with laws, institutions, and trained professionals in place – legislation alone is not enough.

‍“The future of mediation will be shaped by the choices businesses make today,” she noted, echoing the Summit’s central message that mediation begins with listening – before positions harden and relationships break.

This message was reinforced through the launch of the UAE Mediation First Pledge, an initiative by The Mediation Hub MENA inviting businesses to commit to mediation before litigation, preserving value, protecting relationships, and resolving disputes efficiently without loss of time, control, or reputation.

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A Collective Effort

The Mediation Summit 2026 reaffirmed mediation's position as not only a legal mechanism, but a strategic business and governance tool, reflecting Winston Churchill's words cited during the Summit: “Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak. Courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.”

As the UAE continues to position itself as a global dispute resolution hub, the Summit sent a clear message: choose mediation – before damage is done.

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Summit Statistics

The Summit drew strong participation from across the legal and business ecosystem, with 38% from legal services, 20% from regulatory authorities, and 10% from legal support sectors. The diverse audience also included representatives from consulting (9%), education (8%), and courts and dispute resolution centers (5%), underscoring mediation's relevance across professional sectors. Notably, 63% of attendees represented private sector organizations, with 27% from government and semi-government entities, reflecting the Summit's appeal to both private and public sectors. While 86% of participants are based in the UAE, 14% come from the MENA region, Europe, the Americas, highlighting the Summit's growing regional and international reach, and the international interest in the UAE as a hub of alternative dispute resolution services.

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