Overview

• The Convention on the Establishment of the International Organisation for Mediation was signed on May 30 by China and more than 30 countries to create the world’s first intergovernmental mediation body.
• IOMed will handle disputes between sovereign states, governments and foreign nationals, as well as conflicts among private international entities.
• Founding members span Asia, Africa, Oceania and Latin America, illustrating Beijing’s growing influence in the global South and support for alternative dispute resolution.
• The organisation’s headquarters will occupy a former Wan Chai police station and is slated to open by the end of 2025 or early 2026.
• Hong Kong officials project IOMed will bolster the city’s dispute resolution hub credentials and generate significant economic and employment benefits.