It is widely acknowledged that emerging countries are characterised by active foreign policies. This article intends to shed light on a specific and unaddressed domain of emerging countries’ foreign policies by reflecting on the use of international mediation. Two major questions will be addressed. Has international mediation become a ‘niche diplomacy’ for emerging countries, meaning that mediation is particularly targeted for diplomatic activity? Do emerging countries really develop specific mediation strategies in comparison to developed countries? By studying international mediation at the conceptual and practical levels and in relation with the countries’ foreign policy goals, this work will show that Turkey stands out for having gone further in making international mediation a ‘niche diplomacy’, with an evident will to institutionalise this practice. South Africa, Brazil and China use this non-coercive tool on a more ad hoc basis – even if with a varied frequency – while India is not yet involved in this field of activity. It will also highlight the fact that emerging countries have so far not brought about substantial change in the practice of mediation. Where the specificity of emerging countries’ approach is more evident is in the mediating role they intend to play, on a more global scale, between the developed and the developing world.