HONG KONG – The Department of Justice of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government and the Ministry of Justice of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia signed a Memorandum of Understanding of Cooperation on Monday to strengthen cooperation on issues relating to dispute avoidance and resolution.

Secretary for Justice Paul Lam Ting-kwok and Minister of Justice of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Waleed Mohammed Alsmani signed the MoU at a ceremony held in the Hong Kong Legal Hub, according to an HKSAR government statement.

The MoU is the fifth after Japan, Korea, Thailand and Brunei, which will further promote Hong Kong's status as a major center for international legal and dispute resolution services in the Asia-Pacific region and foster exchanges in regions along the Belt and Road

The MoU provides a framework for the HKSAR and Saudi Arabia to strengthen collaboration, communication and cooperation on issues relating to dispute avoidance and resolution, and to facilitate development of the related services in the two jurisdictions.

This is the first MoU that the HKSAR has with a Middle East jurisdiction on dispute avoidance and resolution, which signifies the commitment to enhance the growing ties between the SAR and Saudi Arabia, according to the statement.

The MoU is the fifth after Japan, Korea, Thailand and Brunei, which will further promote Hong Kong's status as a major center for international legal and dispute resolution services in the Asia-Pacific region and foster exchanges in regions along the Belt and Road, it added.

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The DoJ said it will continue to pursue and conclude co-operation or partnership arrangements with other jurisdictions and international organizations.

DoJ officials are also planning to visit the Middle East, including Saudi Arabia, next month to meet with legal and business sectors, and to promote Hong Kong's legal and dispute resolution services.

Lam indicated that the DoJ is now taking forward the establishment of the Hong Kong International Legal Talents Training Academy which will provide a further platform for exchanges between HKSAR and Saudi Arabia under the MoU.

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Alsmani and his delegation also visited the AALCO Hong Kong Regional Arbitration Centre and the International Organization for Mediation Preparatory Office at the Hong Kong Legal Hub.