Abu dhabi: Professor Marike Patrani Paulsson, Secretary General of The Council for International Dispute Resolution of the Kingdom of Bahrain, participated in a panel on “Compulsory Mediation for International Disputes” during the American Society of International Law (ASIL) Abroad Meeting in Singapore.

According to Bahrain News Agency, the meeting, which was held on September 3 and 4, was a continuation of ASIL’s 119th Annual Meeting, organized under the theme “Traditions and Transitions in International Law.”

The panel session, moderated by Professor Shahla Ali from the University of Hong Kong, featured Professor Paulsson alongside Professor Tomoko Ishikawa from Nagoya University and independent arbitrator Cameron Ford. The discussion centered around mediation in investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS), mandatory mediation, and the Singapore Convention on Mediation. It also explored the interaction between treaty-based dispute settlement and emerging mediation frameworks, including the opportunities and limits of integrating compulsory mediation into ISDS structures.

As a result of the session, the panel members agreed to collaborate with ASIL on a project to introduce the “ASIL Singapore/Michael Hwang Protocol.” This set of guidelines on ISDS mediation aims to provide a structured future pathway for resolving international disputes.

On the sidelines of the conference, Professor Paulsson met with ASIL President Professor Melida Hodgson. During their discussions, Professor Hodgson expressed support for increased cooperation between ASIL and Bahrain, including potential joint thought leadership initiatives and other collaborations.