ISLAMABAD: Diplomats and international affairs experts have underlined the need for a more stable, secure and collaborative world order where conflicts are resolved through dialogue and mediation.

According to them, such an order would play a potential role in reshaping global dispute resolution and contribute to the global public good.

They were speaking at a high-level seminar on “China’s Mediation Diplomacy and the IOMeD Initiative: Global Dispute Resolution in a Multipolar Era,” organised by the China Program at the Institute of Regional Studies (IRS).

Experts, mediators, and policymakers discussed the significance of the newly established International Organisation for Mediation (IOMed) and its potential role in global dispute resolution.

IRS President retired ambassador Jauhar Saleem highlighted China’s efforts in establishing IOMed, calling it a key step in strengthening cooperative global governance. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to supporting China in initiatives aimed at fostering world peace and development, such as the Belt and Road Initiative, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Civilisational Initiative, and the Global Security Initiative.

Presidential spokesperson and former caretaker minister for information and broadcasting Murtaza Solangi underlined that China, as a civilisational power, has long upheld traditions of harmony and conciliation.

He observed that both Chinese and South Asian cultures emphasise settlement before judgment. Referring to the launch of IOMed in Hong Kong, joined by 33 founding members including Pakistan, he explained that its mandate covers both state-to-state and international commercial disputes.

Deputy Head of Mission and Chargé d’Affaires at the Chinese Embassy, Shi Yuanqiang, said the signing of the IOMed Convention by China and Pakistan marked the establishment of the world’s first intergovernmental body dedicated exclusively to mediation.

He stressed that this milestone coincided with the 80th anniversary of the victory in the anti-fascist war and the founding of the United Nations, reinforcing the UN Charter’s call to preserve peace and security.

Warning that power politics and coercion are eroding trust among nations, he called for reforms in global governance.

Riffat Inam Butt, First Secretary of the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan, emphasised that mediation is emerging as the most viable path at a time when litigation and adjudication are increasingly paralysed by geopolitics. She said IOMed reflects a shift from the Global South being “rule-takers” to “rule-shapers.”

Hamid Sharif, President of the Global Think Tank Network and Member of the International Expert Committee at the Supreme People’s Court of China, said IOMed reflects a global shift from adversarial litigation to consensual mediation.

He noted scepticism in the developing world toward arbitration forums often perceived as Western-oriented, expensive, and biased. Unlike litigation, he said, mediation requires the consent of parties and enables win-win outcomes.

Dr Bilal Zubair, Director (Research) at the Centre for International Strategic Studies (CISS), said the liberal international order is in decline, creating instability worldwide.

He noted that China’s initiatives, including the Global Development and Global Security Initiatives, reflect a vision of inclusive growth.

Published in Dawn, August 29th, 2025