International mediation body established in Hong Kong

Addis Ababa, May 30, 2025 (FMC) – A signing ceremony of the Convention on the Establishment of the International Organization for Mediation was held in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on Friday.

High-level representatives from nearly 60 countries including Asia, Africa, Latin America, Europe, and from approximately 20 international organizations including the United Nations, attended the signing ceremony, according to China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

In 2022, China, along with nearly 20 countries, launched an initiative to establish an international mediation organization, the ministry said.

Negotiations on the convention have concluded, with unanimous agreement to locate its headquarters in Hong Kong, it said.

Mediation is one of the important dispute resolution methods stipulated in the UN Charter. The International Organization for Mediation will focus on resolving disputes through mediation, becoming the world’s first intergovernmental legal organization dedicated to settling international disputes through mediation. It represents an important mechanism for upholding the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.