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ARTICLE · 15 OCTOBER 2025

Saudi Arabia's Draft Arbitration Law: Proposed Changes And Potential Impacts

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Against the backdrop of a July 2025 resolution by the Council of Ministers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (the "KSA") to further develop arbitration in the KSA (the "Resolution"), a new draft KSA arbitration law has been announced via the auspices of the National Competitiveness Center.

Saudi ArabiaLitigation, Mediation & Arbitration
Raid Abu-Manneh
Raid Abu-Manneh
Gerard Moore
Gerard Moore
Dany Khayat
Dany Khayat
Rachael O'Grady
Rachael O'Grady
Patricia Ugalde Revilla
Patricia Ugalde Revilla
Andrew Sarraf
Andrew Sarraf
Ali Auda
Ali Auda
Alanood Sinjab
Alanood Sinjab
Antonin Sobek
Antonin Sobek
+2 more
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Against the backdrop of aJuly 2025 resolutionby the Council of Ministers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (the "KSA") to further develop arbitration in the KSA (the "Resolution"), a new draft KSA arbitration law has been announced via the auspices of the National Competitiveness Center. Thedraft arbitration law("Draft Law") seeks to modernise the arbitration framework in KSA and is the first initiative to be undertaken pursuant to the Resolution.

The Draft Law is open for consultation until 24 October 2025, following which it may be amended due to consultee feedback. It will then enter into force 30 days after its publication in the KSA Gazette.

In this Legal Update, we summarise the key changes proposed by the Draft Law and what it may mean for arbitration in the region.

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This Mayer Brown article provides information and comments on legal issues and developments of interest. The foregoing is not a comprehensive treatment of the subject matter covered and is not intended to provide legal advice. Readers should seek specific legal advice before taking any action with respect to the matters discussed herein.

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