Introduction

Abstract Arbitration is fast becoming the principal and preferred method for resolving commercial disputes in the Middle East. Dubai, in the UAE, is the most popular seat for arbitration in the Middle East, by quite some distance. Achieving this rarefied regional position has propelled Dubai on an ascent towards becoming a globally recognized hub for arbitration. This chapter, in part, seeks to explain how and why that came to be the case. In doing it considers: (i) the influence of arbitration as a resilient and antiquated postulate of Arab legal culture; (ii) the UAE’s hybrid legal system, which hosts a transnational legal community reflecting the dynamic needs of international arbitration practice; (iii) the rise of global Gulf capital invested in Europe, North America, South Asia, the Far East, and emerging trading blocs, as well as regional trade and investment into Dubai; (iv) Dubai’s geographic location, bilateral trade relations, and domestic infrastructure development; and (v) the establishment and acquired experience of arbitration centres in Dubai, the UAE, and the wider Middle East.