Uzbekistan has joined the United Nations Convention on International Settlement Agreements Resulting from Mediation (the "Singapore Convention" or the "Convention"), marking another step towards aligning its dispute resolution framework with internationally recognised standards.[1]

The Convention creates a uniform legal framework for the recognition and enforcement of international commercial settlement agreements resulting from mediation, providing businesses engaged in cross-border transactions with a more predictable mechanism for resolving disputes through mediation.

The Convention will enter into force for Uzbekistan six months after the instrument of accession is deposited with the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

Firm’s Note:

The Singapore Convention uses the term "settlement agreement", which corresponds to the term "mediation agreement" used in the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On Mediation" No. LRU-482 dated July 3, 2018, for an agreement reached as a result of mediation.

1. International commercial mediation settlements become enforceable under a uniform framework

The Convention applies to written international settlement agreements resulting from mediation and resolving commercial disputes. It does not apply, among others, to consumer, family, inheritance or employment disputes, or to agreements enforceable as court judgments or arbitral awards.

The Convention provides two principal forms of relief:

• enforcement of a settlement agreement where a party fails to comply with it; and
• reliance on the settlement agreement as a defence against claims already resolved by that agreement.

To obtain relief, a party generally needs to submit the signed settlement agreement and evidence that it resulted from mediation.

Relief may be refused only on the limited grounds set out in the Convention, including invalidity or non-binding nature of the agreement, serious mediator misconduct, public policy and non-mediability of the dispute.

The Convention does not regulate all procedural aspects of recognition and enforcement, leaving certain matters to the law of the state where relief is sought. Uzbek legislation currently does not provide a separate procedural framework specifically for the recognition and enforcement of international mediation agreements.

As discussed in our previous article, Uzbekistan introduced a compulsory enforcement mechanism for mediation agreements only in 2025. See also our practical guide on enforcing mediation agreements in economic courts.

2. Uzbekistan joins with two reservations

Uzbekistan has opted for both reservations permitted under Article 8(1) of the Convention.

First, the Convention will not apply to settlement agreements to which Uzbekistan, its governmental agencies or persons acting on their behalf are parties.

Second, Uzbekistan will apply the Convention only where the parties to the settlement agreement have agreed that the Convention should apply.

[1] See the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan "Accession of the Republic of Uzbekistan to the United Nations Convention on International Settlement Agreements Resulting from Mediation (New York, December 20, 2018)" No. LRU-1167 dated August 14, 2026.

This Legal Alert is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Market participants should consult qualified legal counsel to address specific legal and regulatory issues.

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