United Arab Emirates - Civil

During the May 2003 Middle East Rule of Law Conference (full report), representatives of the Governments of the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Kuwait, and Qatar independently approached ISDLS Executive Director Stephen Mayo to propose a civil justice modernization initiative modeled on those conducted in Egypt and Jordan. In June 2004, ISDLS entered into a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of State’s Middle East Partnership Initiative to conduct a civil justice program in each of these countries.

The Arab Gulf programs began in December 2004 when Stephen Mayo, Program Director and ISDLS Board Member Ed Davis, and Regional Program Coordinator Magda Barsoum conducted an initial consultation and assessment with the Ministers of Justice and the Chiefs of Courts of each country. During the second phase of the program, which is scheduled for spring of 2005, a legal study group from each country will study civil justice reforms in California.

By drawing heavily upon the experience gained in Egypt and Jordan. ISDLS and the MOJs/Chiefs of Courts will be able accelerate the adoption of civil justice reforms in the Gulf countries. With the assistance of ISDLS’ Program Coordinator, Mrs. Magda Barsoum, members of each study group will consult with members of the Egyptian and Jordanian study groups. Further, they will travel to Jordan in autumn of 2005 to observe the implementation of the Jordanian pilot project, before designing their own pilot project upon return to Jordan. The legal study group will present the results of their studies and their proposed pilot project to their greater national legal communities at national conferences in late 2005.