BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN: Brunei Darussalam witnessed the signing of the Convention on the Establishment of the International Organization for Mediation (IOMed) in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on May 30.
Representing Brunei to witness the signing was Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Dato Seri Paduka Steven Chong. The signing marked the formal establishment of IOMed – the world’s first intergovernmental legal organisation dedicated solely to the mediation of international disputes.
The ceremony was presided over by China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi and attended by dignitaries from countries including Indonesia, Pakistan, Laos, Cambodia and Serbia, as well as representatives from 20 international organisations, including the United Nations.
The Chief Justice was accompanied by Acting Chief Registrar Hazarena Hurairah and a senior judicial officer from the Supreme Court.
On the sidelines, Dato Seri Paduka Steven Chong held a bilateral meeting with Judge Hu Fang, Deputy Chief Judge of the Fourth Civil Division of China’s Supreme People’s Court, where they discussed areas of mutual interest and judicial cooperation.
The signing coincided with the Global Forum on International Mediation, which explored topics such as state-to-state mediation, international investment and commercial dispute mediation.
Brunei’s participation in the forum and the landmark convention reflects its active role in shaping international legal frameworks and fostering collaboration in global mediation efforts. – Borneo Bulletin/ANN
