13/16 An Analysis of Qatar’s Mediation Law No. 20 of 2021, Referring Court's Management of the Litigated Case I now want to turn to the court's role throughout the mediation process. Court's power to refer parties to mediation The Qatar Mediation Law makes clear that courts may refer cases to mediation if the parties have executed an agreement to mediate. Article 15 states: "In the lawsuit considered before it, the court may ask the parties to settle the dispute through mediation, within a period specified by it." This clause suggest the court will invite the parties to enforce an existing agreement to mediate or to enter a new agreement to mediate. Article 16 states: "The court may, during the consideration of the lawsuit, before setting a date to render a judgement therein, and at any stage of the litigation, decide, based on the agreement of the parties, to stop considering the lawsuit and refer the dispute to be settled through mediation." As I no