The Singapore Convention on Mediation (the “Singapore Convention” or “Convention”) is a multilateral treaty which offers a uniform and efficient framework for the enforcement and invocation of international settlement agreements resulting from mediation. It applies to international settlement agreements resulting from mediation, concluded by parties to resolve a commercial dispute.

The Singapore Convention will facilitate international trade and commerce by enabling disputing parties to easily enforce and invoke settlement agreements across borders. Businesses will benefit from mediation as an additional dispute resolution option to litigation and arbitration in settling cross-border disputes. Signing the Convention is therefore a strong statement of a country’s commitment to trade, commerce and investment, and strengthens its position in the field of international trade law.

46 countries, including the world’s two largest economies – the United States and China – as well as three of the four largest economies in Asia – China, India and South Korea – signed the Convention on the day it opened for signature. Another 24 countries attended the signing ceremony in Singapore to show their support for the Convention.

On 25 February 2020, Singapore and Fiji became the first two countries to deposit their respective instruments of ratification of the Convention at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. With the third instrument of ratification deposited by Qatar on 12 March 2020, the Convention entered into force on 12 September 2020

As of 23 November 2021, the Convention has 55 signatories, of which eight are parties to the Convention. Members of Maadhyam – International Council of Conflict Resolution were invited were privileged to be invited to witness the historic day – August 7, 2019, when India signed the Singapore Convention, and post that, it has been organising many awareness and training programmes towards ensuring a robust international mediation system that can enforce mediation agreements.