Focus On Middle East Dispute Resolution

The Dubai International Financial Centre as a conduit jurisdiction

In DNB Bank ASA v. Gulf Eyadah Corporation and Gulf Navigation Holdings PJSC CA 007/2015, the DIFC Court of Appeal has delivered a landmark judgment which expands the jurisdiction of the DIFC Courts and allows it to be used as "conduit" jurisdiction.

Previously a party wishing to obtain the recognition and enforcement of a foreign judgment against a party domiciled in "onshore" Dubai (in distinction to the "offshore" DIFC) was required to seek the recognition and enforcement of that judgment in the domestic courts of Dubai. These proceedings take place in Arabic, are often slow and produce inconsistent results.