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Manama, Nov. 6 (BNA): Sundaresh Menon, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in the Republic of Singapore, praised Bahrain’s efforts in establishing the Bahrain International Commercial Court (BICC), describing it as an important step for trade and legal development in the region.

In an interview with the Bahrain News Agency (BNA) during King Hamad Forum for Justice, he said: “We organised this conference in response to the importance of this development, which is the establishment of the BICC. The establishment of the BICC is really important for promoting trade, not only in Bahrain, but into the wider region.”

He added that the forum had brought together practitioners, arbitrators, adjudicators, judges and lawyers from across the region, describing it as “a magnificent celebration of the importance of this institution to promote trade”.

On the objective of the BICC, Chief Justice Menon said: “The law, when it is worked effectively, can support progress and commerce. That is the visionary goal that the BICC aims to represent.”

The King Hamad Forum for Justice was held under the patronage of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. On receiving senior participants in the event, His Majesty highlighted Bahrain’s role in upholding truth, justice and freedom. His Majesty the King described the BICC as a historic step in the development of Bahrain’s judiciary and noted the cooperation with Singapore, highlighting the exchange of expertise that helped establish the court.

On behalf of His Majesty, His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, inaugurated the King Hamad Lecture for Neutral Justice at the Isa Cultural Centre. In the opening address, His Royal Highness emphasised the pillars of the BICC: “that justice enables prosperity, that independent institutions build trust, and that the judiciary must adapt to a modern, interconnected economy”. His Royal Highness said that the BICC will provide efficient, transparent and impartial justice for both regional and international businesses.

Chief Justice Menon commended the support of the Kingdom of Bahrain’s leadership and described the BICC as a historic milestone. He noted that neutral justice rests on geographical neutrality, institutional independence and procedural agility, which are reflected in the BICC’s transparent legal environment and multinational bench.

BICC is a beacon of justice and a pillar for a more stable, rules-based international commercial order, Chief Justice Menon concluded.

Bahrain and Singapore signed a treaty in 2024 to establish the BICC and a designated body in Singapore, promoting international cooperation in commercial dispute resolution and the rule of law. The signing of the treaty followed the signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Bahrain and Singapore judiciaries on Cooperation and Memorandum of Guidance on the Enforcement of Money Judgments during a visit of Chief Justice Menon to Bahrain in May 2023.

The BICC was officially established by Royal Decree Law 9 for 2024, as an independent judicial body with exclusive jurisdiction over international commercial disputes, aiming to position Bahrain as a leading global center for resolving complex cross-border commercial cases efficiently and according to international best practices. Royal Decree 63 of 2025, appointed members of the BICC Dispute Resolution Panels. The panel includes internationally recognised judges and legal experts such as Joan Donoghue, Dr. Pinky Anand, Judge Abdulrahman Al Sayed Mohammed Al Sayed Ahmed, Judge Khalid Hassan Ali Ajaji, Dr Mohammed Salah Abdelwahab, Aysha Abdullah Mohammed Mutaywea, Chiann Bao and Philippe Pinsolle.

The forum brought together judges, lawyers and legal experts to discuss cross-border dispute resolution, innovations in international commercial courts, and Bahrain’s role as a regional hub for legal and commercial justice.