BEIJING – China has called for the support and participation of more countries in the establishment of the International Organization for Mediation (IOMed) to ensure fairness and justice across the globe.
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson announced that the country is eager to see the active involvement of more nations in establishing the world’s first intergovernmental legal organization dedicated to resolving international disputes through mediation. This organization is expected to become a key mechanism for upholding the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.
“We welcome support and participation from more countries in creating the International Organization for Mediation, to better enable it to coordinate with existing international disputes settlement mechanisms to make each other more effective, and provide more options and pathways to resolve international disputes through efficient and peaceful means, and better safeguard international fairness and justice,” Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said.
At a press briefing, the Spokesperson announced that China and nearly 20 countries with similar views jointly launched the initiative to establish the International Organization for Mediation in 2022.
Through collective efforts, negotiations on the Convention on the Establishment of the International Organization for Mediation have been concluded, and all parties have agreed to locate its headquarters in Hong Kong, China, Ning said.
She stated that on May 30, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi will attend the signing ceremony of the Convention on the Establishment of the International Organization for Mediation in Hong Kong, China.
Ning added that nearly 60 countries from Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Europe, as well as around 20 international organizations including the United Nations, will send high-level representatives to the signing ceremony on May 30.
According to her, the Global Forum on International Mediation will be held in the afternoon of the same day to discuss topics such as “mediation of disputes between States” and “mediation of disputes between a State and foreign investors and commercial disputes,” among other issues.
She further noted that mediation is one of the key means of dispute settlement outlined in the UN Charter. As a comparatively more amicable approach, mediation respects the will of the parties involved and offers unique advantages including greater flexibility, convenience, lower costs, and more effective implementation.
This reflects the tradition of amity and harmony valued in Eastern cultures. The goal is to settle differences and resolve disputes through mediation, she said.
The Spokesperson emphasized that the establishment of the International Organization for Mediation responds to the global need for peace, stability, and development, and aligns with the current global call for cooperation and mutual benefit. It draws on the strengths of all major legal systems and is expected to contribute to fairer and more equitable global governance under the rule of law.
BY ADDISALEM MULAT
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD SUNDAY EDITION 25 MAY 2025
