On 26 June 2018, the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) approved, largely without modification, the final drafts of the Convention on International Settlement Agreements Resulting from Mediation (the Singapore Convention) and amendments to the Model Law on International Commercial Mediation prepared by Working Group II. These instruments aim to promote the enforceability of international commercial settlement agreements reached through mediation in the same way that the New York Convention facilitates the recognition and enforcement of international arbitration awards. This paper provides a critical analysis of the Singapore Convention and some commentary from an Asian perspective.

The Singapore Convention on Mediation is just beginning its life as an international legal instrument. How is it likely to fare? In the second edition of this comprehensive, article-by-article commentary, the authors provide a robust report on the features of the Convention and their implications, with an analysis of potential controversies and authoritative clarifications of particular provisions. The book’s meticulous examination considers these issues and topics: international mediated settlement agreements as a new type of legal instrument in international law; types of settlement agreements that fall within the scope of the Convention; how the Convention’s enforcement mechanism works; the meaning of ‘international’ and the absence of a seat of mediation; the Convention’s approach to recognition and enforcement of international mediated settlement agreements; the grounds for refusal to grant relief under the Convention; mediator misconduct as a ground for refusal to grant relief; the role of confidentiality in granting relief for international mediated settlement agreements; the impact of the Convention on private international law; the relationship of the Singapore Convention to other international instruments such as the UN Model Law on International Commercial Mediation and the New York Convention on Arbitration; possibilities for Contracting States to declare reservations; court decisions from around the globe on the recognition and enforceability of international mediated settlement agreements; and domestic mediation legislation including domestic laws that implement the Singapore Convention. This book takes a giant step towards relieving the inherent uncertainty associated with how this newly constituted instrument may operate, and how States may become ‘Convention ready’. It is an essential reference for international lawyers, mediators and government officials as the Convention proves itself in the coming years.

This Commentary offers an article-by-article examination of the United Nations Convention on International Settlement Agreements Resulting from Mediation (the Singapore Convention), as well as insights into the negotiation process through which the Convention was developed. It provides deep theoretical and practical analysis of the Convention and its consequences for the promotion of mediation as a mechanism to solve commercial conflicts with a cross-border character.

The Singapore Convention on Mediation is just beginning its life as an international legal instrument. How is it likely to fare? In the second edition of this comprehensive, article-by-article commentary, the authors provide a robust report on the features of the Convention and their implications, with an analysis of potential controversies and authoritative clarifications of particular provisions. The book''s meticulous examination considers these issues and topics: international mediated settlement agreements as a new type of legal instrument in international law; types of settlement agreements that fall within the scope of the Convention; how the Convention''s enforcement mechanism works; the meaning of ''international'' and the absence of a seat of mediation; the Convention''s approach to recognition and enforcement of international mediated settlement agreements; the grounds for refusal to grant relief under the Convention; mediator misconduct as a ground for refusal to grant relief; the role of confidentiality in granting relief for international mediated settlement agreements; the impact of the Convention on private international law; the relationship of the Singapore Convention to other international instruments such as the UN Model Law on International Commercial Mediation and the New York Convention on Arbitration; possibilities for Contracting States to declare reservations; court decisions from around the globe on the recognition and enforceability of international mediated settlement agreements; and domestic mediation legislation including domestic laws that implement the Singapore Convention. This book takes a giant step towards relieving the inherent uncertainty associated with how this newly constituted instrument may operate, and how States may become ''Convention ready''. It is an essential reference for international lawyers, mediators and government officials as the Convention proves itself in the coming years.

Provides a comprehensive global survey on multi-tier dispute resolution, examining its trends, its strengths and weaknesses, and the way forward.

This article attempts to provide a definitive overview of the text, structure, history, and purpose of the Singapore Convention on Mediation (also known as the United Nations Convention on International Settlement Agreements Resulting from Mediation), a new multilateral treaty developed by the U.N. Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL).The Convention, scheduled to open for signature in August 2019, provides a uniform, efficient framework for the recognition and enforcement of mediated settlement agreements that resolve international, commercial disputes -- akin to the framework that the 1958 New York Convention provides for arbitral awards. Unlike the other primary international organizations that develop commercial law treaties, UNCITRAL does not commission official commentaries or explanatory reports for the treaties it produces. This article aims to fill this gap based on the records of the negotiations and the firsthand experiences of the author in proposing and participating in the negotiations.

The prevailing mediation model and process is drawn primarily from the West. For a long time, there has been a call for conflict management approaches that are more appropriate for the Asian context. ... This book answers the call by identifying cultural values and norms that affect how conflicts may be perceived through Asian lenses, and how conflict management processes and practices should be structured...