Saudi enforcement courts have undertaken 297 applications for the enforcement of foreign rulings, and local and foreign arbitration awards worth SR2.4 billion (nearly $640 million) in total in 2021. “The Saudi judiciary works to enforce foreign rulings and arbitration awards under reciprocal international agreements,” the Saudi Ministry of Justice said. “The goal is to ensure rights and contracts, enhance the business environment, and attract foreign investment.” According to the ministry’s statistics, the value of local arbitration awards filed for enforcement has reached SR1.1 billion, while the value of foreign arbitration awards and rulings have reached about SR1.3 billion. The step is part of the Kingdom"s commitment to apply international judicial agreements. Saudi law provides that foreign judgments shall be enforced directly by the enforcement judge, with no need for filing a new lawsuit. Under Article 9 of the Enforcement Law, foreign judgments and arbitration awards are recognized as enforcement instruments, and they can be filed directly to the enforcement court after completing the statutory requirements. Meanwhile, Ministry of Justice (MoJ) launched the “Knowledge and Enrichment” legal culture fair at Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University in Riyadh on Tuesday. The three-day fair aims to enhance legal awareness and introduce judicial e-services and systems. "Part of the ministry’s initiative for highlighting the justice system and promoting legal culture, the fair has sections on family matters and women’s rights, laws and regulations, Najiz e-services and digital development, and conciliation and its social impact," the MoJ said. It also introduces the Shaml initiative, which provides convenient centers for the implementation of child custody and visitation rulings. Supervised by the ministry"s legal specialists, the fair has seen high turnout in previous editions organized across the Kingdom. — SG