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International Organization for Mediation

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International Organization for Mediation
国际调解院
國際調解院
Official logo of
Official logo
Old Wan Chai Police Station, headquarters of IOMed
Old Wan Chai Police Station, headquarters of IOMed
HeadquartersWan Chai, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong
Official languages
TypeIntergovernmental organisation
Membership33 (May 2025)
Leaders
• Director-General
Sun Jin
EstablishmentMay 30, 2025; 28 days ago (2025-05-30)
Website
www.international-mediation.org Edit this at Wikidata
International Organization for Mediation
Simplified Chinese国际调解院
Traditional Chinese國際調解院
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinGuójì Tiáojiě Yuàn
Bopomofoㄍㄨㄛˊ ㄐㄧˋ ㄊㄧㄠˊ ㄐㄧㄝˇ ㄩㄢˋ
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationGwok Jai Tìuh Gáai Yuhn
JyutpingGwok3 Zai3 Diu6 Gaai2 Jyun2

The International Organization for Mediation (IOMed; simplified Chinese: 国际调解院; traditional Chinese: 國際調解院) is an intergovernmental mediation council for international disputes. It is headquartered at Wan Chai, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. The founding members include China, Algeria, Belarus, Cambodia, Djibouti, Indonesia, Laos, Pakistan, Serbia, and Sudan.

History

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Background and establishment

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According to the government of the People's Republic of China, the establishment of IOMed came out its efforts to mediate a dispute between Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan that started with Ethiopia's decision in 2011 to begin work on its Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.[1][2][3]

In October 2022, Ma Xinmin, ambassador of the PRC to the Republic of Sudan, and Ali Al-Sadiq Ali, the acting foreign minister of Sudan, held a signing and handover ceremony for the "Joint Statement on the Establishment of the International Organization for Mediation" at the Sudan Friendship Hall in Khartoum, the capital of Sudan.[4]

In December 2022, the Hong Kong Chief Executive in Council enacted the International Organizations (Privileges and Immunities) (Amendment) Bill 2022 in accordance with the International Organizations (Privileges and Immunities) Ordinance (Chapter 558) of the Laws of Hong Kong.[5] Hong Kong was chosen as the official headquarters due to its bilingual common law framework—Hong Kong is the only jurisdiction in China that follows common law[6]—and due to the one country, two systems principle, under which Hong Kong has to also work with the civil law of mainland China.[7][8]

The Old Wan Chai Police Station under refurbishment

By the end of 2022, China and nearly 20 countries had jointly initiated the establishment of the organisation and decided by unanimous consensus had been reached to establish the organisation's headquarters in Hong Kong.[9][independent source needed]

On 16 February 2023, IOMed's Preparatory Office was established with Sun Jin appointed as its director-general[10][11] and on 17 February 2023, representatives of the signatories of the Joint Statement on the Establishment of the International Organization for Mediation attended the inauguration ceremony, which Qin Gang, then Chinese state councillor and foreign minister, delivered a video speech.[12]

In early 2024, it was decided that the headquarters of IOMed is to be located at the Old Wan Chai Police Station.[13] On 30 May 2025, the signing ceremony for the establishment of the organisation was held in Hong Kong at Grand Hyatt Hong Kong.[14]

Structure and governance

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IOMed consists of a governing council, a secretariat and a two panels of mediators.[15] The council serves as the mediation body's primary decision-making body (responsible for policy formulation and strategic direction), is composed of one representative per member state (with alternates permitted in case of absence) and elects a chairperson and optional vice-chairpersons annually.[15] The Secretariat handles daily operations and consists of a secretary-general (chief legal representative), one or more deputy secretaries-generals and additional staff as required.[15] The panels of mediators consist of members who are appointed for five-year terms (which may be renewed) and serve on either the "State-to-State Mediation Panel" (handling intergovernmental disputes) or "The General Mediation Panel" (addressing other disputes covered).[15]

Membership

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Members of the International Organization for Mediation include the following countries:[citation needed]

Objectives and appraisal

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According to John Lee, the chief executive of Hong Kong, IOMed would help cement the city's reputation as a top destination for resolving international disputes and would have a status that would be on par with the International Court of Justice and the Permanent Court of Arbitration.[16] According to Paul Lam, the secretary for justice of Hong Kong, the body's establishment came as "hostile external forces are attempting to de-internationalise and de-functionalise" the city.[16] Nikkei Asia reported that IOMed was "backed by mostly friendly states [of China]", and that while its history dated back to 2022, its formal establishment only came "with the second Trump administration pushing a raft of unilateral trade and foreign policies."[13]

References

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  1. ^ "Chinese, Ethiopian diplomats call for establishing int'l mediation organization". Xinhua News Agency. Archived from the original on 3 June 2025. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
  2. ^ "China spearheads global mediation with the founding of IOMed". China Daily. Archived from the original on 6 June 2025. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
  3. ^ "Jointly Building the International Organization for Mediation to Establish a New Platform for Peaceful Resolution of International Disputes". Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
  4. ^ "FM receives joint statement on establishment of International Organization for Mediation". Sudan News Agency. Archived from the original on 2 November 2022. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
  5. ^ "International Organizations (Privileges and Immunities) (Amendment) Bill 2022" (PDF).
  6. ^ "Briefing: China media say new mediation body will boost 'Global South' voices". BBC Monitoring. 5 June 2025.
  7. ^ "Ministry of Foreign Affairs of CPG and HKSAR signed the Arrangement on Establishment of the International Organization for Mediation Preparatory Office in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region". Hong Kong government. Archived from the original on 29 December 2022. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
  8. ^ Kim, Song-yi; Kim, Mi-geon (29 December 2024). "Interview: "Common law and bilingual system are strengths of Hong Kong as international arbitration hub"". The Chosun Daily. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
  9. ^ "Department of Justice - Community Engagement - Press Releases - HKSAR Government makes full preparations for Convention on the Establishment of The International Organization for Mediation signing ceremony". Department of Justice (Hong Kong). Archived from the original on 1 June 2025. Retrieved 29 May 2025.
  10. ^ "Appointment of Director General of the International Organization for Mediation Preparatory Office". Hong Kong Government Gazette. Vol. 27, no. 12. Hong Kong Government Logistics Services. 24 March 2023. Retrieved 23 January 2025.
  11. ^ "Inauguration ceremony for International Organization for Mediation Preparatory Office held in HKSAR today (with photos)". Government of Hong Kong. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
  12. ^ "秦刚在国际调解院筹备办公室成立仪式上发表视频致辞". Belt and Road Initiative (in Chinese). Retrieved 17 February 2023. 印尼、巴基斯坦、老挝、柬埔寨、塞尔维亚、白俄罗斯、苏丹、阿尔及利亚、吉布提等《关于建立国际调解院的联合声明》签署国代表……
  13. ^ a b "China launches mediation center with veiled jabs at Trump unilateralism". Nikkei Asia. 30 May 2025. Archived from the original on 1 June 2025. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  14. ^ "Wang Yi ushers in new era of China-led mediation with Hong Kong-based legal body". South China Morning Post. 30 May 2025. Archived from the original on 30 May 2025. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
  15. ^ a b c d "About Us". international-mediation. Archived from the original on 3 June 2025. Retrieved 3 June 2025.
  16. ^ a b "China sets up international mediation body in Hong Kong". Reuters. 30 May 2025.
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