A Memorandum of cooperation between mediation institutions of Azerbaijan, Turkey, Georgia and Kazakhstan was signed in Tbilisi.

On January 27, the leadership of the Union of Arab States of the Turkish World paid an official visit to the Republic of Georgia. The visit took place at the invitation of the Georgian Association of Mediators.

Yakup Erikel, Chairman of the Board of the Union of Mediators of the Turkic World, Nadir Adilov, Deputy Chairmen of the Board of the Union, Chairman of the Board of the Mediation Council of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Zhandilda Yakupov, General Director of the Association of Mediators of Kazakhstan, Javid Huseynov, Adviser to the Chairman of the Board of the Mediation Council, took part in the trip. During the visit, a meeting was held with the Chairman of the Georgian Association of Mediators, Irakli Kandashvili, and the heads of the Association's committees.

The main purpose of the visit was to strengthen cooperation between the countries of the region in the field of mediation, the development of mediation institutions and the international exchange of experience in this field. The importance of mediation and the importance of expanding cooperation in this area were emphasized.

During the meeting, the parties informed about the history of mediation in their countries, its current state, legislative framework, regulatory mechanisms and the problems they face. The Azerbaijani side informed about the formation of the mediation institute in the country and the reforms carried out in recent years. The Mediation Council of the Republic of Azerbaijan announced its intention to benefit from the international experience related to the legal regulation and practical application of the institute of mediation in the country.

At the same time, the parties exchanged mutual information about the mediation activities carried out so far. It was noted that in early 2024, a large-scale international mediation event was held in the Turkish city of Ankara with the participation of more than 600 mediation specialists and lawyers, which was also attended by the Mediation Council of the Republic of Azerbaijan. In addition, it was emphasized that a congress of the Union of Mediators of the Turkic World will be held in Baku this year.

The parties participating in the event stated that their countries have been joining the UN Singapore Mediation Convention for several years. In this context, the impact of the Singapore Convention on international and regional cooperation in the field of mediation, its relevance and significance were discussed. The Azerbaijani side also stated that it is considering joining the convention, and an exchange of experience was held between the parties in this direction.

Yakup Erikel, Chairman of the Board of the Turkish Peace Mediators Association, noted in his speech that the Singapore Convention covers only commercial disputes and proposed the development of a new regional mediation convention between Turkey and neighboring states, similar to this model, but covering broader disputes. Within the framework of this initiative, the possibility of concluding an agreement was discussed, which provides, in addition to commercial disputes, for the resolution of other legal disputes through mediation. At the same time, it was proposed to implement joint projects with law students aimed at facilitating mediation. As part of this initiative, students should be familiar with mediation mechanisms, gain practical knowledge in this field and contribute to the development of mediation in the future.
At the end of the meeting, a memorandum was signed on the development of mediation institutions and strengthening cooperation between the countries of the region. The Memorandum covers such main areas as the implementation of joint activities in the field of mediation, strengthening the legal framework of mediation, exchange of experience, and the implementation of educational and awareness-raising programs.

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