Ghana has become the 39th member and a founding participant of the International Organization for Mediation (IOMed), a China-led multilateral body aimed at strengthening peaceful dispute resolution, particularly among developing countries.
The move was formalised in Beijing, where Ghana’s Ambassador to China, Kojo Bonsu, signed the organisation’s convention on behalf of the government. The signing followed a meeting with Qi Dahai, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Treaty and Law at China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Ambassador Bonsu conveyed that he was authorised by Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Samuel Okudjeto Ablakwa, to sign the convention on behalf of Ghana, marking the country’s formal entry into the new mediation framework.
Ghana’s decision to join IOMed reflects a broader effort to align its foreign policy and economic diplomacy with mechanisms that promote stability, predictability, and non-litigious resolution of cross-border disputes, factors increasingly viewed as critical to trade, investment, and international business relations.
Ambassador Bonsu expressed Ghana’s strong support for the IOMed initiative, describing it as a “timely and necessary platform dedicated to peaceful dispute resolution,” a principle Ghana has consistently championed in regional and international affairs.
Focus on Mediation and Developing Economies
The IOMed initiative was first proposed by China at the United Nations in 2021 as an alternative and complementary mechanism to existing international dispute resolution systems. It is designed to provide a high-level mediation platform with a particular focus on the needs and realities of developing economies.
The organisation was formally established on May 30, 2025, in Hong Kong by 33 states and began operations on October 27, 2025. It is currently handling its first international dispute case, centred on intellectual property, according to officials.
Unlike arbitration-driven models, IOMed emphasises mediation as a means of achieving mutually beneficial outcomes, preserving long-term relationships between states, and reducing the costs and adversarial nature often associated with international litigation.
Member states retain a high degree of autonomy in the mediation process and are permitted to nominate their own mediators, a feature supporters say enhances trust, flexibility, and inclusiveness.
Strategic Implications
Ghana’s participation could strengthen its positioning in international economic diplomacy, particularly as cross-border investment, trade disputes, and intellectual property issues become more prominent in Africa’s integration into global value chains.
Ambassador Bonsu expressed confidence that Ghana’s membership marks the beginning of a substantive partnership and thanked the Chinese side for its leadership in establishing the organisation, noting that “This historic signing is a significant milestone for Ghana and we look forward to working with IOMed to promote peaceful dispute resolution globally.”
