When a dispute arises in Dubai, which Court has jurisdiction? Is
it the Dubai Courts? Or can the case be heard by the Courts of the
Dubai International Financial Centre?
In this article, we look at statutory basis for the jurisdiction
of the DIFC Courts and discuss some recent DIFC Court cases that
have considered the extent of that jurisdiction.
Introduction
The Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) is a financial
free zone located near Dubai's central business district. It
was established in 2004 to encourage growth in the banking,
investment and the financial services sector in Dubai by offering a
zero tax rate on income and profits, 100 percent foreign ownership,
no restrictions on foreign exchange or capital/profit repatriation,
operational support and first class business facilities.
