The Global Mediation Summit hosted by IOMed was held on 8 May 2026 in Hong Kong, China.
The Summit, which is the first international conference organized by IOMed since its inauguration in October 2025, attracted around 1,000 in-person and online participants from over 60 jurisdictions, including senior representatives of IOMed Signatory States, policy makers, world-class mediators, business leaders, distinguished law professionals and academics.
(Group photo: officiating guests of the Summit and representatives of IOMed Contracting States)
The Honorable John KC Lee, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong SAR, attended the opening segment of the Summit and delivered a Special Address. In his address, Mr. Lee recognized that since last October, the number of IOMed Signatory States has climbed from 37 to 41, while the number of Contracting States has gone from eight to 13. He noted that Hong Kong has long supported mediation, which echoes values that are deeply rooted in Chinese culture, and Hong Kong will continue to build on its partnership with IOMed to develop the city into a global mediation center.
In her welcoming remarks, IOMed Secretary-General Prof. Teresa Cheng underscored that IOMed fills an institutional gap in international dispute resolution, and “brings forth mediation as a true viable alternative to resolving international disputes alongside litigation and arbitration”.
Highlighting IOMed’s two key mandates to administer mediation for THREE types of disputes, namely State-to-State, investor-State and international commercial disputes, and to promote cooperation in capacity building, Prof. Cheng announced that a maritime dispute was successfully resolved through mediation administered by IOMed in early May, and that IOMed will host its first capacity building event “IOMed Seminar” for delegates of Signatory States on 9 May.
(Prof. Teresa Cheng delivering welcoming remarks at the Global Mediation Summit)
Mr. CUI Jianchun, Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China in the Hong Kong SAR, and Mr. Paul Lam, Secretary for Justice of the Hong Kong SAR, delivered opening remarks at the Summit, both reaffirming the commitment to support IOMed.
H.E. Willy Bett, Vice Chairperson of the IOMed Governing Council, and Mr. QI Dahai, Director General of the Treaty and Law Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China delivered keynote speeches afterwards, both stressing the need to elevate mediation from a passive alternative to a first-choice dispute resolution instrument.
The Summit included three distinguished panels: the first comprised of world-class mediators with vast experience in state-to-state and investor-state disputes; the second shedding light on why governments and businesses choose mediation as first choice or as parallel mechanism; and the third bringing together representatives of international organizations and academics to discuss practical ways to develop a global mediation ecosystem.
(Group photo of Panel 1: Facilitators of Peace: Wisdom from World-Class Mediators. From left to right: Dr. Anthony Neoh (moderator), Chairman of the Asian Academy of International Law, Prof. Dr. Surakiart Sathirathai, Chairman of the Asian Peace and Reconciliation Council, Mr. Michael Vatikiotis, Senior Advisor at the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, Mr. Wolf von Kumberg, ICSID Conciliator Panel Member, and Mr. Craig James South, Senior Mediator at Center for Effective Dispute Resolution. )
(Group photo of Panel 2: The Clients’ Voice: Why States and Investors Choose Mediation. From left to right: Prof. CHI Manjiao (moderator), ICSID Conciliator Panel Member, Mr. Marcelo Cardoso, Chief Counsel, Finance in the Legal Department of the AIIB, Ms. Mariam Gotsiridze, Principal Research Fellow at Singapore International Dispute Resolution Academy, Dr. YANG Yuntao, Chief Compliance Officer of China Merchants Group, Ms. Marwa Shabbar, Head of Legal Department of the ICRC Regional Delegation for East Asia, and Mr. Duncan Speller, Global co-chair of the International Disputes Division of Duane Morris’ Trial Practice Group.)
(Group photo of Panel 3: Beyond the Horizon: Developing the Global Mediation Ecosystem. From left to right: Prof. SHAN Wenhua (moderator), Vice President of Northwest University of Political Science and Law, Prof. ZHAO Yun, Representative of Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific of HCCH, Ms. Athita Komindr, Head of the UNCITRAL Regional Centre for Asia and the Pacific, and Prof. Shahla Ali, Associate Dean (International) of the HKU Faculty of Law. Ms. Frauke Nitschke, Chief Counsel of ICSID, and Justice Fatsah Ouguergouz, Rector of the African Institute of International Law, attended the panel online.)