LegalAffairs Department of Dubai

The Government of Dubai Legal Affairs Department Achieves 45% Amicable Settlement Rate in 2025 As Part of Its Efforts to Promote Alternative Dispute Resolution

The Government of Dubai Legal Affairs Department revealed in its latest performance report that it successfully resolved 45% of all closed disputes through amicable settlements in 2025, effectively averting formal litigation for the involved parties.

This achievement aligns with the provisions of the Government Claims Law in the Emirate of Dubai and Law No. (32) of 2008 Establishing the Department. Under this legislative framework, the Department is mandated to receive complaints and claims lodged against government entities and pursue mutually agreeable resolutions. This is achieved through structured negotiations where both parties present acceptable solutions to reach an amicable settlement. These successful outcomes reinforce ongoing initiatives to resolve disputes through Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanisms, a key performance indicator under the Dubai Priorities Plan aimed at expanding alternative legal avenues.

Adhering to Global Standards

The report highlights that the Department convened 684 mediation sessions with the parties to the dispute over the past year, dedicating its expertise to facilitating amicable settlement procedures rooted in absolute impartiality and transparency. These sessions were managed by a specialized task force within the Department's Amicable Settlement Section, possessing advanced skills in mediation techniques and expertise. Notably, 100% of the team members have secured international accreditation as certified mediators in civil and commercial disputes from the International Mediation Institute (IMI), the highest global credential in this field.

The report underscores a steadfast commitment to fulfilling the Dubai Government Customer Service Excellence Standards by providing diverse and highly effective communication channels. These platforms are tailored to anticipate customer needs and resolve all inquiries in accordance with the highest professional benchmarks. Throughout 2025, the Department handled 2,708 inquiries; this volume comprised 746 digital inquiries and 1,962 telephone inquiries, alongside in-person inquiries handled directly at the Department's headquarters.

Effective Developmental Procedures

As part of its continuous improvement initiatives aimed at optimizing time, effort, and costs for customers, the Department introduced an innovative procedural enhancement in 2022. This mechanism establishes a dedicated liaison coordinator within each government entity to streamline daily communications. Upon receiving a complaint, the Department immediately connects the claimant with the respective coordinator to explore avenues for a swift, amicable resolution. This proactive approach successfully resolved 73 complaints during 2025, bringing the total number of disputes settled since its inception to 347 by the end of last year, all achieved prior to the formal initiation of settlement proceedings. This outcome underscores the procedure's efficacy in driving resource efficiency for both parties to the dispute while simultaneously elevating customer satisfaction across Dubai Government.

Impartiality and Transparency

In this context, His Excellency Dr. Lowai Mohamed Belhoul, Director General of the Department, emphasized that in alignment with Dubai's approach, and in order to optimize public sector efficiency, reinforce community trust in the Government, and strengthen the Emirate's judicial framework, the Department operates under rigorous, approved procedures to manage complaints and claims filed against Government entities. The Department dedicates its full resources to resolving these matters amicably before claimants resort to court action, striving to reach a consensus and an amicable resolution to disputes with a view to avoiding litigation wherever possible. This proactive strategy significantly reduces the time and effort typically consumed by the legal process, while sparing parties to the dispute the substantial dispute-related costs incurred during court proceedings. These results are delivered through swift, high-efficiency mediation practices defined by absolute impartiality and transparency, fully benchmarked against the highest international standards


The Government of Dubai Legal Affairs Department Achieves 45% Amicable Settlement Rate in 2025 As Part of Its Efforts to Promote Alternative Dispute Resolution  The Government of Dubai Legal Affairs Department Achieves 45% Amicable Settlement Rate in 2025 As Part of Its Efforts to Promote Alternative Dispute Resolution



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