Sri Lanka new United Nations convention on mediation in Singapore

Minister of Justice and Prison Reforms, Thalatha Atukorale signed the United Nations Convention on International Settlement Agreements Resulting from Mediation, also known as the Singapore Convention, on behalf of the Government of Sri Lanka at the Singapore Convention Signing Ceremony and Conference held on 7 August at the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore.  The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in December 2018 adopted the new convention on mediation, and also authorised for the Convention to be named the ‘Singapore Convention on Mediation’, and its signing ceremony to be held in Singapore. The Singapore Ministry of Law, together with the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) organised this Singapore Convention Signing Ceremony and High-Level Conference. 

Ministers and Senior Officials from 67 states attended the events, 46 countries signed the Singapore Convention on Mediation. The United States, China and India were also among the first signatories of the Convention, together with Sri Lanka. 

This new treaty on mediation is expected strengthen the international dispute resolution framework, and provide businesses greater certainty and assurance and help facilitate international trade and commerce. It will also provide for the enforcement of mediated settlement agreements across countries.

The Sri Lanka delegation to the Signing Ceremony and High-Level Conference, headed by Minister Thalatha Atukorale, also included the High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to Singapore Sashikala Premawardane, Solicitor General Dilrukshi Dias Wickramasinghe, Advisor to the Minister of Justice and Prison Reforms Neville Karunaratne and Senior Assistant Secretary Roshani Hettige.

Minister Thalatha Atukorale, who is on a working visit to Singapore from 6-10 August, also met with Singapore’s Minister for Social and Family Development Desmond Lee, and is expected to meet other dignitaries. Minister Atukorale will also attend the Singapore National Day Parade to be held on 9 August on a special invitation from the Government of Singapore.