Dubai To Host The IBA's 2011 Annual Conference

The International Bar Association (IBA) has announced that Dubai has been selected as the host country for its 2011 Annual Conference - the first time in the IBA’s history that its Annual Conference would be held in the Middle East. The Conference is scheduled to take place from 30 October to 4 November, 2011 at the Dubai World Trade Centre.

The IBA’s Annual Conference is the largest international gathering of lawyers and bar associations in the world.  On average, over 4,000 of the world’s top lawyers attend the week-long annual event, which features over 150 highly topical sessions covering a wide range of legal issues. The event is an opportunity for lawyers from around the world to meet and hear first-hand about legal developments in various jurisdictions.

HE Dr. Omar Bin Sulaiman, Governor of the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and Vice Chairman of the UAE Central Bank, said: “We offer our sincere congratulations to HH Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, president of the UAE; and HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.  Being selected as host for this prominent international event will further enhance the UAE’s position on the global arena”.

HE added: “With the full support of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the DIFC team worked diligently with Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) and Al Tamimi and Co to secure this event for Dubai”.

HE further explained: “The IBA’s decision to hold its annual conference in Dubai is testimony to the rising prominence of the city as a global business centre. Dubai’s economic landscape has recently been reshaped by the development of one of the world’s most unique legal infrastructures in the Dubai International Financial Centre. This infrastructure creates a highly transparent legal environment within which the global financial industry can operate, and was developed by incorporating best practices from the world’s major financial jurisdictions.  These developments also provide a transparent legal framework for the financial industry which falls in line with the vision of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum which made Dubai and the UAE a global economic hub. We look forward to hosting the IBA’s 2011 Annual Conference in Dubai. The DIFC had succeeded in attracting the IBA to Dubai and it opened an office in the DIFC from which it offers its services to the DIFC community throughout the Middle East”.  

HE Dr Hadef Bin Juaan Al Dhahiri, Minister of Justice in the UAE said: “We are pleased to welcome hosting the annual conference of International Bar Association (IBA) in Dubai, as this decision reflects the confidence of the global community of lawyers in the advanced level of legal services in the United Arab Emirates. We will continue working to improve these services and ensure the enforcement of justice. We congratulate the Leadership and the Government of the United Arab Emirates on this achievement which promotes the presence of the country in international forums. We extend our thanks to all those who contributed to host this global event on the territory of the State”.

“The fact that Dubai has attracted such an influential and prestigious entity to its shores not only underlines its capabilities as a world-class destination for business networking but also illustrates Dubai International Financial Centre’s advanced regulatory and legal structure. The Dubai World Trade Centre’s strategy over the years has been to develop enabling infrastructure and facilities to attract major international events to the region and to support the needs of the Middle East’s meetings and events sector. The IBA’s decision to host their annual conference with the Dubai World Trade Centre is testament to the confidence major international entities have in Dubai and the world class facilities it provides,” added Helal Saeed Almarri, CEO, Dubai World Trade Centre.

Mark S Ellis, Executive Director, International Bar Association (IBA), who participated for five years in the efforts to bring the IBA Conference to Dubai, said: “As the centre of a region that is rising in global economic influence, Dubai was the right choice for the IBA’s 2011 Annual Conference, held for the first time in the Middle East. Dubai’s global outlook and business dynamism makes it an ideal setting for the IBA to continue its expansion of activities in the region.”

Essam Al Tamimi, Founding Partner of the Middle East’s largest law firm, Al Tamimi & Company, said of the IBA’s recent announcement: “Holding this prestigious event in Dubai means a lot to the legal community here. This region plays such a prevalent role in the world both economically and politically and as the global voice of the legal profession it is hugely important that the IBA are active in the Middle East.”

The International Bar Association, established in 1947, is the world’s leading organisation of international legal practitioners, bar associations and law societies. Its membership includes over 30,000 lawyers and nearly 200 bar associations and law societies spanning every continent. The IBA influences the development of international law reform and shapes the future of the legal profession throughout the world.

Issues discussed at the IBA’s annual conference will cover diverse areas such as antitrust; anti-corruption; arbitration; art; aviation; banking; business crime; business organisations; capital markets communications; construction projects; consumer law; corporate counsel; corporate governance; corporate social responsibility; criminal; cross-border transactions; entertainment; ethics; extraterritorial jurisdiction; globalisation; hedge funds; human rights; immigration; indigenous peoples; insolvency; intellectual property; international construction; internet; investment; judiciary; law firms; maritime; media; medicine; mergers and acquisitions; mining; money laundering; negligence; oil and gas; outer space; real estate; rule of law; securities; sport; tax; technology; trade; travel; and water.