USAID/Afghanistan
USAID Mission Director Dr. Ken Yamashita presents an award to Afghan university student competed in the National Round of the Jessup International Moot Court Competition held at the Supreme Court in Kabul.
Afghan university students competed in the National Round of the Jessup International Moot Court Competition held at the Supreme Court in Kabul. Competitors came from Herat, Balkh, Al Biruni, Nangarhar, Khost, Kandahar, Takhar and Panjshir Universities. After deliberations by a panel of judges, Herat University was judged the winning team and will now represent Afghanistan at the international finals in Washington D.C. in March 2013.
The Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition is the world's largest moot court competition, with participants from over 500 law schools in more than 80 countries. The competition features a fictional dispute between countries before the International Court of Justice, the judicial branch of the United Nations. Each eligible law school is allowed to field one team of four or five students. This will be the first time teams from Khost, Kandahar, Takhar, and Panjshir Universities compete in the national competition.
This year, law students showcased their advocacy skills as they argued legal positions in English on issues that included, whether a State can continue to exist if it has no defined territory, and whether the treatment and proposed transfer of refugees complies with international refugee law.
Attending the event, Dr. Abdullah Atayee, Administrator General of the Supreme Court said, “Education is the biggest asset for a country. We are proud of these young and talented students who will represent Afghanistan at the international finals in Washington.”
Ambassador Stephen McFarland, the Coordinating Director for Rule of Law and Law Enforcement at the U.S. Embassy, stated that “observing law students passionately arguing their cases on points of international law demonstrates how far Afghanistan has come in reforming its legal education. ”
Addressing the students, he added that “the skills developed during this competition will help you become stronger lawyers, judges, and prosecutors, and prepare you as future leaders in the legal community of Afghanistan.”
USAID's Rule of Law Stabilization Program, which facilitated this event, is designed to develop the the justice sector, increase the public's access to justice, and promote public demand for a robust rule of law environment in Afghanistan.
2013 01 23 Press Release Moot Court Competition (English)
2013 01 23 Press Release Moot Court Competition (Dari)
2013 01 23 Press Release Moot Court Competition (Pashto)