Egypt leads discussions on justice and investment at the BRICS justice ministers' meeting.“
The Minister of Justice is leading an Egyptian initiative to promote dispute resolution.
Written by: Mohammed Omran
Minister of Justice Mahmoud Helmy El-Sherif participated in the third meeting of Ministers of Justice of the member states of the “Group of Justice”BRICS”Held in Ahmedabad, India, on 21 and 22/5/2026.”.
During the meeting, he delivered the speech of the Arab Republic of Egypt, in which he praised the State of India’s presidency of the current session of the BRICS group of countries, expressing Egypt’s keenness to participate actively and effectively in the meetings and mechanisms of the BRICS group, and to enhance international cooperation among them in all aspects, including legal and judicial matters.
Justice Minister to BRICS: "Effective justice is the foundation of trust and investment."
He added that this meeting comes at a time when there is an increasing need for more flexible and effective justice systems, capable of responding to contemporary legal and institutional challenges. Justice is no longer measured solely by the ability to resort to the courts, but rather by the speed of procedures, the clarity of rules, the efficiency of institutions, and the availability of effective legal alternatives for dispute resolution.
Al-Sharif emphasized Egypt’s welcome of the proposed declaration by the BRICS Ministers of Justice regarding strengthening alternative dispute resolution methods, especially mediation and arbitration through capacity building, praising the flexibility shown by the representatives of the member states during the negotiations on the final wording of the declaration, and their response to the Egyptian proposals to introduce some amendments to it.
The Minister of Justice is leading an Egyptian initiative to promote dispute resolution.
He also pointed out in his speech that Egypt – which is among the oldest civilizations in the world – organized arbitration as a means of settling civil and commercial disputes for the first time in the Code of Civil and Commercial Procedure issued in 1883. He added that it kept pace with the development that our world has witnessed, and reviewed the development that the legislative and institutional structure related to alternative means of dispute resolution has witnessed.
He stressed that Egypt attaches great importance to mediation, arbitration and other alternative means of dispute resolution, and that these means do not replace the judiciary, but rather complement the work of formal justice systems, by reducing unnecessary litigation, encouraging consensual solutions and enabling courts to focus their resources on disputes that require full judicial adjudication.
The Minister of Justice explained that alternative dispute resolution methods are no longer an option, but a crucial necessity, and constitute a fundamental pillar for supporting the investment climate, building trust between the state and investors, providing a fair and transparent investment environment, and enhancing our countries’ position as a safe destination for investment. Investment requires effective justice before economic gain, and therefore alternative dispute resolution methods such as mediation and arbitration are considered the primary guarantee for investment.
Al-Sharif concluded his remarks by emphasizing the importance of activating the declaration adopted during the meeting, establishing a mechanism to follow up on its implementation, continuing dialogue and cooperation among member states on key legal and institutional issues of common interest, and the necessity of holding periodic meetings of the Ministers of Justice of member states, as well as other meetings at the level of officials and experts, in order to exchange views and best practices and transfer expertise.
On the sidelines of the meeting, Counselor Mahmoud Helmy El-Sherif, Minister of Justice, held a number of bilateral meetings with the Ministers of Justice of the United Arab Emirates, South Africa, the Russian Federation, and India, which addressed ways to enhance legal and judicial cooperation, build and develop capacities, exchange experiences and best practices in various fields of justice, and mechanisms for developing judicial systems and modernizing legislative and institutional frameworks, in a way that serves the common interests of the member states.
During the meeting, the BRICS Ministers of Justice Declaration on Strengthening Alternative Dispute Resolution through Capacity Building in Mediation and Arbitration was adopted. The declaration emphasized the importance of continuing dialogue and cooperation among BRICS countries on legal and institutional matters of common interest, encouraging capacity-building initiatives and professional training programs for stakeholders, promoting pre-litigation mediation, including raising awareness of this option as an early and effective means of dispute resolution, and exploring the role of digital technologies in enhancing access to and efficiency of dispute resolution mechanisms.
