Web Alert: 46 countries signed Singapore convention on mediation

On 7 August 2019, a new United Nations (UN) treaty, the UN Convention on international settlement agreements resulting from mediation (the Singapore convention on mediation) was open for signature at a ceremony at the Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore. Singapore became the first among 46 countries including China, India and the USA to sign the treaty which will come into force at a later date.

Adopted by the United Nations general assembly in December last year, the Singapore convention on mediation provides for cross-border enforcement of international commercial settlement resulting from mediation in member states which in turn, gives businesses greater certainty, assurance and facilitates international trade and commerce. 

Prior to the introduction of the treaty, parties lacked an efficient and harmonised framework for cross-border enforcement of settlement agreements resulting from mediation. The Singapore convention on mediation responds to this need with the twin goals of facilitating international trade and promoting the use of mediation for the the resolution of cross – border commercial disputes.

The Singapore convention on mediation has been hailed as the 'missing piece' in the enforcement framework of international disputes which up till now includes the convention on the recognition and enforcement of foreign arbitral awards ('New York convention') and the Hague convention on choice of court agreements designed to assist cross-border enforcement of arbitration awards and court judgments, respectively. 

The text of the Singapore convention on mediation and its key features may be found here.