Asia-Pacific is the fastest growing economic region, as well as the largest continental economy in the world. Moreover, Asia is the site of some of the world’s longest modern economic booms. Despite more than two decades of globalisation, differences between countries and their markets have remained a major stumbling block for businesses venturing abroad. With the globalisation of business, there has been an increasing level of cross-border disputes. The global business requirements along with other market developments have popularised non-litigious forms of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) methods like arbitration and mediation. The Asia-Pacific region has undertaken major reforms in the field of arbitration and mediation and in the promotion of its use in resolving cross-border commercial disputes. Even though many major institutions are available in the countries of the region, cross-border dispute resolutions and enforcement of those decisions have been difficult. Resolving contractual and commercial disputes in various jurisdictions requires knowledge of a number of facets that affect each country.
For the said purpose some of the major ADR institutions in the Asia-Pacific region subscribed to form the APCAM, which will be an international ADR institution, administering cross-border mediations and arbitrations in the respective countries.
APCAM’s vision is to assist the international business community to resolve their international and cross-border disputes under a single set of mediation and arbitration rules and with a uniform fee structure, and to create a single panel of international mediators and arbitrators, with uniform accreditation, so as to establish the best-standards in professionalism and credibility, so that the business community gets unbiassed professionals that resolve disputes in a timely manner, and thereby create a better business environment in the region.
APCAM’s mission is to create a single platform, which could cater the requirements of cross-border/ international business disputes, with the most efficient and innovative rules for resolving such disputes by way of mediation, conciliation, arbitration and/or such other ADR (Alternative Dispute Resolution) methods or hybrid systems and to provide high-standards and professional arbitrators and mediators, so as to promote the use of amicable dispute resolution mechanisms, aiding and supporting international business community in the Asia-Pacific region.