The Permanent Court of Arbitration was set up in 1996 at the Mauritius Chamber of Commerce, a non-profit organization promoting trade and industry itself created in 1850. The Court's dispute settlement activity covers commercial cases of purely domestic, mixed, as well as purely international character, irrespective of the law governing them relationship and of the chosen place of arbitration. The Court has entered into cooperation agreements with various arbitration Centers. It is also a member of the International Federation of Commercial Arbitration Institutions (IFCAI).

The Court administers arbitration under its Rules, based on the international standards for arbitration rules, such as those laid down by the UNCITRAL and the ICC. It also provides Rules of Conciliation to enable the parties to settle their dispute amicably with a conciliator's assistance. The Court's Permanent Secretariat supervises the arbitration proceedings from the moment of application up to the rendering of an award. The Secretariat intervenes and provides remedial measures whenever the procedure or the principles of arbitration prescribed by the Rules are violated. It also provides assistance in the award enforcement.

The Court maintains and regularly updates a list of national and foreign Arbitrators and a list of Experts. Both are mandatory for proceedings before the Court.