‌ A dispute may be settled most amicably and efficiently by the disputing parties themselves. Those parties, who fail to resolve the dispute themselves, can be assisted by a third party like a mediator before resorting to or during the litigation or arbitration for a law-based dispute settlement. The mediation procedure is a form of negotiation assisted by a mediator. Mediation or an extended form of negotiation serves the disputing parties best not only by assisting amicable settlement but also by preserving/developing their relations.
 Mediation is a private, confidential, and voluntary process. At any time, the parties may start or withdraw from the mediation. Thus, it is the disputing parties that are responsible for their mediation including the mediated settlement. After the entry into force of the Singapore Convention on Mediation, the mediated settlement of international commercial disputes will be legally enforced within the territories of its Contracting Parties. Therefore, in a near future, mediation will be much more efficient and effective than any other ADR.