Kenya has been elected Vice Chair of the newly established International Organisation for Mediation (IOMed) during its inauguration ceremony held in Hong Kong, China.
Kenya’s Ambassador to China, Willy Bett, was elected one of the two Vice-Chairpersons of the Governing Council of IOMed, which brings together 38 founding member states.
The intergovernmental organisation, whose treaty negotiation process began in 2023, was officially launched following the signing of its Constitutive Instrument on May 30, 2025.
In a statement, Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei said Kenya’s election affirms the country’s leadership in advancing mediation and peaceful dispute resolution globally.
He noted that the move aligns with Kenya’s diplomatic agenda to promote dialogue as a means of fostering stability and cooperation among nations.
“Kenya’s membership to IOMed aligns with the country’s leadership in mediation and the promotion of peaceful means to dispute settlement. IOMed treaty further dovetails with the proposal by Kenya for the enactment of the “Convention for the Support, Protection and Acceleration of Conflict Prevention and Resolution,” to address intra state conflicts,” stated Sing’Oei.
Professor Teresa Cheng, a Senior Counsel and former Hong Kong Secretary for Justice, was appointed Secretary-General of IOMed, while Dr. Sun Jin will serve as Deputy Secretary-General.
IOMed will mediate disputes between states, investors, and commercial entities, offering a predictable, flexible, and cost-effective mechanism for resolving conflicts while supporting capacity building among member countries.
The inauguration was attended by China’s Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Hua Chunying and Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee.
