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Leading the Way for the Recognition and Enforcement of International Mediated Settlement Agreements: The Singapore Convention on Mediation Act 2020

Nadja Alexander & Shouyu Chong

(2022) 34 SAcLJ 1

Abstract:
On 4 February 2020, the Singapore Parliament passed the Singapore Convention on Mediation Bill (Bill 5 of 2020). The enactment of the Singapore Convention on Mediation Act 2020 (Act 4 of 2020) ("SCMA") implements Singapore's obligations under the Singapore Convention on Mediation. The Singapore Convention on Mediation has since entered into force on 12 September 2020. This article examines the provisions of the SCMA and shows how the Act gives effect to the Singapore Convention. It then sets out the new regulatory landscape for the recognition and enforcement of international mediated settlement agreements in Singapore, which comprises the common law, court-referred mediation practice, the Mediation Act 2017 (Act 1 of 2017) and the SCMA, and offers some comparative comments.