An Introduction to the Singapore Convention on Mediation – Perspectives from Singepore

At the 51st Session of the United Nations (UN) Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) on 25th June 2018, the final draft of the Convention on the Enforcement of International Settlement Agreements (the ‘Convention’) was recommended for submission to the UN General Assembly for its consideration, and the corresponding Model Law was adopted. A resolution to name the Convention the ‘Singapore Convention on Mediation’ was also approved. This concluded three years of vigorous debate in UNCITRAL Working Group II (Dispute Settlement) with participation by 85 member States and 35 international governmental and non-governmental organisations. The UN General Assembly has adopted the Convention on 20th December 2018. The Convention will come into force once it is ratified by at least three member states. A signing ceremony for this first UN Convention on mediation is anticipated to take place in Singapore in August 2019