By CrossRiverWatch Admin
In a keenly contested Space Law Moot court Competition, among students of Universities representing their continents, the African Continent was represented by students of the University of Calabar (UNICAL) led by a team coach, Ms. Anne Uruegi Agi.
The team was made up of Nelly-Helen Ebruka, Augustine Ushie, and Kaunda John Chinomso.
The advocacy skills of the team were recognised at the international level as a team member, Mr. Augustine Ushie clinched the award of best Oralist of the Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition.
This was the same feat his colleague Nelly-Helen Ebruka accomplished during the African Regional Rounds.
The team who defeated Mc Gill University, Canada to clinch a spot at the finals table against the winners of the European Regional Rounds, the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia, emerged as runners-up in the Competition. It is particularly incredible the giant strides of the team as Space Law is not yet offered as a course at the University. The achievements of the team was therefore as a result of a thirst for knowledge, hard work and determination to succeed.
The Nigeria Lawyer reports that annually, as part of activities during the Int’l Astronautical Congress (IAC), the International Institute of Space Law (IISL) organizes the Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition, with over 60 University teams participating. The aim is to cultivate and engender in students’ interest in Space affairs and knowledge of Space Law issues particularly.
This year’s competition which was held in Washington DC, USA on the 24th of October, 2019 was presided over by Justices of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the trio of Joan Donoghue, Peter Tomka, and Kirill Gevorgian.
Facts of the case concerned disputes arising from Military Uses of Space Resources by hypothetical States of Suniza vs Azazi, the ownership and use of abandoned Lunar facilities by the parties and liability for damages resulting from an explosion on the moon.
The African Regional Round of this competition had previously been hosted in Pretoria, South Africa in May, 2019 by the South African Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) where the University of Calabar team beat 5 other African Universities to win the best ORALIST award and emerge as the African Champions.
See pictures;
