Anchoring Mediation within the Commonwealth
The Commonwealth Law Ministers Meeting 2026, held in Fiji from 9 to 12 February under the theme “Anchoring Justice in a Changing Tide: Strengthening the Rule of Law for a Resilient Future,” brought together one of the largest gatherings of Law Ministers and Attorneys-General focused on legal cooperation. Hosted by the Government of the Republic of Fiji, the Meeting served as a platform for Commonwealth jurisdictions to exchange views on strengthening justice systems in an evolving global landscape. On 12 February the last day of the event, Singapore’s Ministry of Law convened a dedicated mediation side event titled "The United Nations Convention on International Settlement Agreements Resulting from Mediation - An Anchor in the Storm" as part of the programme. SIMC was invited to contribute to discussions on advancing the Singapore Convention on Mediation and strengthening mediation frameworks across the Commonwealth.
Minister for Law Edwin Tong SC delivering the Opening Address.
Opening Address by Minister for Law
The side event opened with remarks by Minister for Law Edwin Tong SC, who underscored the significance of the Singapore Convention on Mediation in enabling mediated settlement agreements arising from cross-border commercial disputes to be recognised and enforced internationally. He observed that mediation is already embedded in many Commonwealth legal systems and noted the opportunity to build on these foundations through wider adoption and practical implementation of the Convention.
An Anchor in the Storm: Mediating as Commonwealth for the Common Good
This was followed by a presentation by SIMC CEO Chuan Wee Meng titled “An Anchor in the Storm: Mediating as Commonwealth for the Common Good.” His remarks focused on three key areas: encouraging signing and ratification of the UN Convention on Mediation, strengthening capacity building and training initiatives, and fostering co-mediation models and partnerships across jurisdictions.
In particular, he shared examples of SIMC’s overseas workshops and judicial trainings conducted in collaboration with partners across the Commonwealth, aimed at strengthening practical mediation skills and deepening understanding of cross-border commercial mediation. He also expressed appreciation to the Commonwealth institutions and partners who have worked closely with SIMC in advancing mediation capacity.
SIMC CEO Chuan Wee Meng sharing the progress SIMC has made to promote mediation.
From left to right: Minister Edwin Tong SC, Chuan Wee Meng, Watesoni Nata Jr.
The session concluded with a fireside conversation featuring Minister Edwin Tong SC, Chuan Wee Meng, and Watesoni Nata Jr, Managing Director at Mediation Pacific. When the question and answer portion of the session opened up, it drew enthusiastic and thoughtful questions from the floor, reflecting strong interest in how the Convention can be operationalised and how jurisdictions can deepen mediation capacity. The engagement at the side event underscored the growing recognition of mediation as a complementary and practical tool for resolving cross-border disputes.
We remain encouraged by the constructive dialogue in Fiji and look forward to continued collaboration with Commonwealth partners to strengthen capacity, deepen partnerships, and support broader adoption of the Singapore Convention on Mediation.
