As we celebrated the 77th
anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China at the beginning
of October, I am pleased to share with you the following updates on HKMAAL’s
activities during the month:
Mediation
Accreditation Committee commences a New Term
On 5 October
2026, the Council of HKMAAL approved
the appointment of the respective new members to the Mediation Accreditation
Committee ("MAC”) and the
MAC’s Working Group on Review of Applications. Bringing together experienced
mediators, seasoned mediation trainers and users of mediation services from a
diverse range of professions and sectors, the members of MAC and its Working Group will offer a wealth of expertise and perspectives in their terms (please click HERE for the lists of the members of the MAC and
its Working Group). I warmly welcome all the new members and look forward to working with them to uphold robust
accreditation standards and advance the professional development of mediators
in Hong Kong.
Guangdong-Hong
Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area ("GBA”) Mediator Accreditation Exercise 2026
The application period for
accreditation as a GBA Mediator through Hong Kong closed on 11 October 2026. I
would like to express my sincere gratitude to the members of HKMAAL’s Working
Committee on Reviewing the Applications for Greater Bay Area Mediator Accreditation
for their dedication and diligence in reviewing the applications and making
recommendations to the Department of Justice ("DoJ”). HKMAAL is
committed to the development of a pool of qualified GBA mediators and the
promotion of closer collaboration in mediation across the region.
Legislative amendments to confer default
mediator-appointing power on HKMAAL
Building on the recommendations of the Working Group on Mediation
Regulatory System and broad stakeholder support, the DoJ introduced the
Mediation (Amendment) Bill 2026 (the "Bill”) –
click HERE - to the
Legislative Council on 14 October 2026. The Bill proposes to empower HKMAAL,
upon application by a party to an agreement to mediate, to determine the number
of mediators and/or to appoint mediators in prescribed circumstances where
parties cannot reach agreement or the agreed appointment procedure has not been
carried out. This proposed statutory role of HKMAAL would help prevent delays,
enhance the efficiency of the mediation process and strengthen confidence in
mediation. It marks an important milestone for Hong Kong’s mediation sector and
reaffirms HKMAAL’s leading role as the mediation body for Hong Kong.
HKMAAL remains committed to upholding professional standards and
supporting Hong Kong’s position as a leading international dispute resolution
hub and the Global Capital of Mediation. Alongside our continued promotion of
the updated Hong Kong Mediation Code, we are revising the set of
complaint-handling and regulatory procedures to further strengthen the quality
and legitimacy of mediation in Hong Kong.
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Supporting the Hong
Kong Arbitration Week 2026
As the Chairman of HKMAAL and also a member of the HKMAAL Council nominated by the HKIAC, I attended the HKIAC’s Welcome Reception for the
Hong Kong Arbitration Week 2026 on 19 October. It was a pleasure to connect
with alternative dispute resolution practitioners from different jurisdictions
and exchange insights on the development of mediation in Hong Kong and HKMAAL’s
role in advancing professional standards.
Courtesy
Visit to the Consumer Council
On 26 October 2026, I paid a courtesy visit to the Consumer Council
and had the pleasure of meeting Ms Catherine Kwan, Deputy Chief Executive, and
her team. During our meeting, we shared HKMAAL’s latest developments, expanded
scope of work and recent activities. We also discussed HKMAAL’s proposed
statutory role in appointing mediators and how it could facilitate the
resolution of consumer disputes through mediation. I look forward to further
exchanges with the Consumer Council to explore opportunities for collaboration
in promoting mediation for consumer disputes.
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Supporting
Sports Dispute Resolution
HKMAAL supports the wider use of
alternative dispute resolutions in resolving sports-related disputes and
welcomes opportunities for HKMAAL Mediators and Elite Athletes to enhance their
understanding of sports mediation through appropriate training. In this regard, I am always prepared to
support the works of the DoJ and AALCO in respect of sports mediation training.
The Hong Kong Legal Week 2026 (click HERE) will
take place from 2 to 6 November 2026. As in previous years, HKMAAL is pleased
to be a Supporting Organisation, with HKMAAL representatives also participating
as speakers. I look forward to seeing you at the various seminars during the
Legal Week.
TK Iu
Chairman
Hong Kong Mediation Accreditation Association Limited
(Click HERE to view the previous editions of the "Chairman's Message")
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