Business & Money | Tuesday 15 October, 2019 4:03 pm |

Dubai Judicial Institute (DJI), in cooperation with the United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) and the Euro-Arab Judicial Training Network (EAJTN), organised the first edition of the 'Shaping the Future of Judicial Knowledge' workshop under the theme ‘Artificial Intelligence Today and Beyond.’ This comes in line with the UAE Strategy for Artificial Intelligence (AI), which all sectors in the UAE will rely on in the future.

During this two-day workshop on 15 and 16 October held at the InterContinental Hotel in Dubai Festival City, the ways and benefits of employing AI in the legal and judicial fields will be highlighted with the participation of elite speakers, legal personnel, and experts in the field of AI. It will also witness the participation of prominent personalities and specialised international organisations.

The workshop was inaugurated by HE Taresh Eid Al Mansouri, Director of Dubai Courts and Vice Chairman of DJI; and HE Justice Dr Jamal Al Sumaiti, Director General of DJI; with the participation of HE Younus Al Nasser, Assistant Director General of Smart Dubai and CEO of Dubai Data Establishment; in the presence of department directors, members of DJI’s Board of Directors, members of the Scientific and Judicial Council, and prosecutors in the UAE as well as technical specialists from Smart Dubai and related specialised departments.

In his opening speech, Al Mansouri said: “We are pleased to welcome you all today to the first edition of the workshop, where we will work together to achieve its ambitious goals, most prominently the exchange of knowledge and experiences on the themes of the 'Shaping the Future of Judicial Knowledge' workshop by exploring artificial intelligence today and beyond. The objectives of our workshop are fully aligned with the aspirations of our country and our wise leadership to make the UAE the best country in the world by the centennial anniversary of the Union in 2071 to achieve leadership across all fields at the government level.”

Al Mansouri added: “In this context, our wise leadership announced the UAE Strategy for Artificial Intelligence, which is the first-of-its-kind in the world to keep pace with these national directives. At DJI, we were keen to delve into this field by collaborating with local and international partners to investigate the role and impact of artificial intelligence in the judicial sector, its effect and possible application, and the positive benefits it can bring to judicial and legal work in all its aspects in the near future. Such workshops help us prepare for the future through collaboration and ongoing coordination to keep pace with technological development as well as explore the opportunities of AI and its potential applications in our sector.”

Al Sumaiti commented: “Organising the workshop in collaboration with reputable regional and international bodies such UNICRI and EAJTN comes as part of our ongoing efforts to promote and disseminate legal knowledge among all target groups in the UAE. The objectives of our workshop are in line with the aspirations of our country and wise leadership who seek to make the UAE the best country in the world by the centennial anniversary of the Union in 2071, allowing the country to achieve leadership across all fields at the government level, where AI will be one of the requirements and effective tools.”

The main objectives of the workshop are to share knowledge and experience by exploring AI today and beyond. It aims to target a wide range of segments, including local and international decision-makers as well as AI experts in general and in the judicial sector specifically. The workshop will benefit government entities and stakeholders in the judicial sector locally and globally and will spread awareness among the media and society in general.

UNICRI was established in 1968 to catalyse the expansion of United Nations’ crime prevention and criminal justice activities. The Institute carries out research and practical training; launches technical cooperation programmes; assists governments and the international community in addressing criminal threats to social peace, development, and political stability; and promotes the development of fair and effective criminal justice systems. The workshop will witness the attendance of UNICRI’s Director and the participation of a number of its official spokespersons.

EAJTN acts as an official institution to enable entities that specialise in the training of judges, prosecutors, and members of the judiciary in their countries to be in regular contact with each other and meet to mutually collaborate in the conception of joint training programmes and mechanisms. EAJTN aims to deepen mutual knowledge of judicial systems, improve the joint use of national and international means of cooperation, and share professional expertise to best apply them. It also encourages joint cooperation in the formation, reform, and development of training institutions for judges and prosecutors. EAJTN works to develop cooperation between the various training programmes planned by the participating country as well as develop joint training activities and prosecutors. Directors from EAJTN and members of the judiciary from 12 countries around the world will attend the workshop.

The workshop will attract representatives from a number of official entities, including the Executive Council of Dubai, the Prime Minister's Office, Smart Dubai, the Ministry of Justice, Director Generals of local and federal legal and judicial institutions, members of DJI’s Scientific Council, the UAE Council for AI, Dubai Public Prosecution, Dubai Courts, Government of Dubai Legal Affairs Department, Dubai Police - General Department of AI, judicial training institutes in the UAE, and Local and Federal Courts and Prosecutions in the UAE.

In conjunction with the first day of the workshop, Al Mansouri and Al Sumaiti honoured the strategic partners, namely UNICRI, EAJTN, Dubai Public Prosecution, The Government of Dubai Legal Affairs Department, the UAE’s Ministry of Justice’s Judicial Training Institute, and Smart Dubai.