Doha—The recent closing of borders to Qatar by key neighbours Saudi Arabia and the UAE has caused a substantial slow down in the import of construction materials and led to uncertainty surrounding construction projects in Qatar. The fast-moving diplomatic row has also had broader global implications with major disruption felt in areas such as travel, shipping, immigration, banking and even e-commerce.

Speaking at a recent seminar held in Singapore, Dentons Middle East construction partners Alastair Young and Andrew Jones, as well as Singapore senior partner Kirindeep Singh, teamed up to provide a thorough overview of key developments in the Qatar crisis as well as useful insights into how Asian businesses can best protect their interests in connection with construction contracts.

Delegates at the seminar explored legal concepts such as force majeure, price extensions and delays of time from both a Qatari and Singapore law perspective and also discussed practical case studies such as the Indonesian Sand Ban in Singapore in 2007.

While the future of diplomatic relations between Qatar and its GCC neighbours remains unpredictable, practical measures can be taken by all parties to a construction contract to mitigate its impact.

Alastair Young said, "It is important at this critical time that our clients review their contracts carefully to determine how recent events will impact their contractual obligations. Detailed record keeping of all events and milestones is also essential for projects where disputes may arise."

Kirindeep Singh added, "Working together to form an action plan and revised work programme will help ensure that expectations are met on projects by all parties involved."

Dentons' top-rated Middle East construction and dispute resolution team has an in-depth understanding of the nuances of each local market, stemming from more than 50 years of experience advising on major projects in the region. The team advises across the full industry spectrum from initial entry and establishment for foreign bidders, licensing, procurement planning, contract negotiation and drafting to strategic advice during construction, claims settlement and dispute resolution.

Dentons has one of the largest regional networks of any international law firm in the Middle East with nine offices in seven jurisdictions. Many of the Firm's lawyers have dual English/Arabic language skills and can advise on local as well as international law.

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