Originally from Arbitration in the MENA

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[1] INTRODUCTION

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (Jordan) is considered a unique example among Arab countries when it comes to arbitration. Jordan is distinguished by the fact that it was the first Arab country to issue legislation governing arbitration when it enacted the Jordanian Law on Arbitration of 1953 (the “1953 Arbitration Law”);  this law replaced the Palestinian Arbitration Law of 1933, which applied in Jordan. In contrast, most of the other Arab countries, such as Syria and Lebanon, have embedded provisions governing arbitration matters within their own codes of civil procedure. 

The 1953 Arbitration Law was influenced by English law, unlike arbitration laws in most of the Arab countries, which are influenced by French law. 

Furthermore, Jordan was among the first Arab countries to ratify the 1954 Convention on the Enforcement of Judgments between the Arab Countries  that was later replaced by the Riyadh Convention for Judicial Cooperation of 1983.  In 1972, Jordan joined the Convention on the Settlement of Investment Disputes between States and Nationals of Other States (“the Washington Convention of 1965”), which established the International Center for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID). A few years later, in 1979, Jordan also joined the New York Convention for Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards of 1958.