Rhodes to represent Africa at global law contest

A TEAM of four Rhodes University students have just over a month to prepare to represent Africa at an international trade law competition in Switzerland.

Final year law students Oscar McGown-Withers, Deanne McKersie, B K Taoana and Jamie Foreman were announced as the first winners of the African region in the European Law Student Association’s International Moot Court Competition on WTO Law, held at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) yesterday.

The team of Rhodes students will be joined by first and second runners-up: Haramaya University from Ethiopia and National University of Lesotho, respectively, in Geneva for the grand finale.

It will be the first time that Africa takes part in the international competition.

The students said adjusting to the court setting and arguing the case was “a bit challenging”.

“It was the first time that we interacted with trade law this way. We only knew it as a subject and from our textbooks,” said Foreman.

The competition is a simulated hearing in the World Trade Organisation (WTO) dispute settlement system, where participants represent both complainant and respondent parties to a hypothetical case.

The case before the hypothetical panel yesterday involved a developing country that lodged a complaint regarding the non-provision of sewerage and water services against a developed (respondent) country.

The Rhodes students – who represented the respondent – argued that it could not deliver the services due to the changes in the regulatory environment of the developing country (complainant).

Taoana added: “It was difficult to gauge the intensity of the competition, but we were well-prepared for it”.

The Rhodes team, from South Africa, Zimbabwe, Britain and Lesotho, spent their December holiday on Facebook, WhatsApp and e-mail, practising with their coach and lecturer, Vicky Heldeman.

Their final round opponents from Haramaya University in Ethiopia were, however, not as fortunate and had to prepare on their own.

Getahun Tuji, Barnabas Bernahu, Delil Hussen and Yidnekachew Tekle said representing Africa in a competition was a privilege and they were looking forward to coming back and raising awareness of trade law on and off campus.

Though offered mostly in post-graduate studies, Wits WTO law lecturer Engela Schlemmer said more awareness was needed among students to take up trade law.

“This will help for purposes of trade, development and that of hearing the African voice,” she said.