ADDIS ABABA, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese and Ethiopian diplomats have called for joining hands to establish the world's first intergovernmental legal organization for mediation to pave the way for a peaceful and prosperous world.
The call came during the first briefing event on the China-initiated International Organization for Mediation (IOMed), which was held on Tuesday in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, attracting a large number of high-ranking officials, scholars, and diplomats from various African countries.
Speaking at the event, Ma Xinmin, director-general of the Department of Treaty and Law of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said the peaceful resolution of international disputes is a fundamental principle of international law as enshrined in the United Nations Charter.
"After nearly three years of joint collaboration, we have made commendable progress in bringing IOMed to fruition. It is with great pride that I share how this initiative has continued to gain momentum, attracting more and more supporters along the way," Ma said.
Being an initiative owned by the Global South, the IOMed is set to be the first intergovernmental organization dedicated to resolving international disputes through mediation, which echoes the international community's strong call for peace, security, fairness, justice, and win-win cooperation. So far, IOMed has brought together 19 countries, among which 10 are from Africa, representing more than two billion people worldwide, according to the briefing.
"As the world's first international legal organization devoted to mediation, IOMed is committed to resolving international disputes through mediation, adhering to the principle of peaceful resolution," said Ma, highlighting that the organization had emerged following increasing demand for international mediation mechanisms.
Negus Kebede, director-general for Middle Eastern, Asian and Pacific Countries' Affairs of the Ethiopian Foreign Ministry, said on the occasion that IOMed would help African and other developing nations share best practices, develop effective tools for resolving international conflicts, and strengthen their role in the global diplomacy and peacebuilding.
"I want to take this moment to commend the People's Republic of China for its unwavering commitment to facilitating the negotiations on the draft conventions on IOMed. These efforts are not only diplomatic but crucial steps toward building a more peaceful, cooperative and harmonious world order," Kebede said.
He also called on nations, large and small, to come together, exchange knowledge, share experience, and collectively enhance approaches to mediation, within the platform of IOMed.
Proposed by China in 2022, IOMed is set to be a global public good for rule of law that will provide a new platform for the peaceful resolution of international conflicts. The IOMed Preparatory Office was set up in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China, in February 2023. The organization is expected to be established around the end of 2025, according to the briefing. ■