Panelists at the Global Forum on International Mediation praised the newly established International Organization for Mediation (IOMed) on Friday, saying it institutionalizes mediation as a key dispute-resolution tool without undermining existing rules.
The high-level forum followed the historic signing of the Convention on the Establishment of the IOMed earlier in the day in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region — a city that will host the mediation institution’s headquarters.
As the world’s first intergovernmental body dedicated to mediation, the IOMed marks a major step in formalizing the process.
READ MORE: Signing ceremony on IOMed launching
In his opening remarks, Hong Kong Secretary for Justice Paul Lam Ting-kwok emphasized the benefits of institutional mediation support.
While ad hoc mediation remains effective, a structured framework offers clear advantages such as procedural guidance, facilitated communication between disputing parties, and streamlined access to vetted mediators, Lam said.
“The establishment of the IOMed has filled a glaring omission in the past international dispute resolution system,” the justice chief said.
He said that peaceful conflict resolution is a cornerstone of international law and relations, recalling a 2016 United Nations General Assembly resolution that endorsed mediation as an efficient and cost-effective tool for dispute settlement.
The forum brought together current and former state leaders, representatives from international organizations and multilateral development banks, as well as mediation experts and key stakeholders.
At a subforum on state disputes, Gao Zhiguo, former judge of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, said that international mediation has traditionally been case-by-case. A permanent, independent mediation body advances international law and carries significant legal weight, he said.
Dismissing concerns that the IOMed might sideline existing rules, he said that the organization complements established dispute-resolution methods.
READ MORE: Intergovernmental mediation body established in HK
“It will provide a new option for countries to settle their differences,” he said.
In a prerecorded speech, Ethiopian Foreign Minister Gedion Timothewos underscored the urgency of institutionalizing mediation amid rising global conflicts.
“Today, history is in the making,” he said, adding that the IOMed aligns with the UN Charter’s commitment to peaceful conflict resolution.
Contact the writer at lilei@chinadailyhk.com
