Drafting a request for arbitration: what Gulf arbitration centres (DIAC, SCCA, QICCA, ICC) require and how to prepare it quickly

The mandatory elements of a request for arbitration under the main regional centres' rules, the attachments and fees, and a ready-to-use structure.

The request for arbitration opens the proceedings; any gap delays the constitution of the tribunal or gives a ground to challenge the award later. Institutional rules in the region are close in substance, but each centre has its details.

Common elements

- Names, addresses, contact details and representatives of the parties.
- A copy of the arbitration agreement (clause or submission agreement).
- A description of the dispute and the circumstances giving rise to it.
- The relief sought and an estimate of its value.
- Any agreement, or a proposal, on the number of arbitrators, seat, language and governing law.
- Nomination of an arbitrator where three are provided for.
- Proof of payment of the registration fee.

Centre by centre

DIAC (Dubai): the 2022 Rules; filing is electronic with the registration fee and time limits run from the centre's receipt of a complete request. SCCA (Saudi Centre for Commercial Arbitration): the 2023 Rules and an electronic filing platform, with attention to proof of a valid arbitration agreement. QICCA (Qatar): a clear statement of claims and a copy of the agreement; Arabic or English accepted. ICC: the request goes to the Secretariat with the filing fee and any agreement on arbitrators, seat and language.

A suggested structure

1. Introduction: parties, centre and applicable rules.
2. The arbitration agreement: wording, location in the contract, validity.
3. Facts: contract, performance, breach, amicable demands.
4. Issues in dispute.
5. Relief: amounts, interest, costs, legal fees, any interim measures.
6. Procedural proposals: number of arbitrators, nomination, seat, language, law.
7. List of attachments (the bundle).

Practical tips

- Do not put all your evidence in the request; enough to justify the relief is sufficient, detailed submissions come later.
- Match party names to the commercial registers.
- Estimate the value carefully; it drives the fees and sometimes the number of arbitrators.

In LexArab you choose the centre and country, upload the contract, and the assistant drafts the request in the structure above with proposed relief and grounds referenced to the rules; review, download, and prepare the bundle of attachments with the dedicated tool.