Courtesy Call

From left to right Harrison Mbori, Strathmore Coach, Ms Maleeha Khandawalla, PS Dr. Chris Kiptoo and, Mishael Wambua 
 

Strathmore beats Harvard, 18 others to win WTO Trade Law Competition

Nairobi June 13, 2019
By Olem Edward,

Strathmore University overcame stiff competition from 18 world reknown Universities, among them Harvard to claim the 17th Edition of the global John H. Jackson Moot Court Award in Geneva, Switzerland.

The Competition, formerly known as the European Law Students Moot Court is a simulated hearing of the World Trade Organization dispute settlement mechanism which draws contestants from all over the world.

Receiving the winners in his office, Trade Principal Secretary Dr. Chris Kiptoo congratulated Strathmore representatives, Ms. Maleeha Khandwalla, Ms. Catherine Penda and Mr. Mishael Wambua for the deserved victory. “By winning the moot court competition, you have reaffirmed Kenya’s influence in the world”, said Dr Kiptoo.

The Principal Secretary decried lack of adequate Trade Law experts in Kenya and Africa at large.

He challenged Universities in Africa to train more competent Trade Law Experts who will take a leading role in drafting and interpreting International Trade Laws and agreements, besides defending the continent in International Trade disputes.

The WTO is a complex web of over 20 agreements, thousands of pages of jurisprudence developed by Panels and the Appellate Body, hundreds of decisions by the various organs of the WTO, as well as a profound negotiating history. “Therefore, to dig through all this pile of documentation in preparation for the competition and then go all the way to win the coveted price is no mean achievement” observed Dr. Kiptoo. 

He encouraged more Kenyan students to pursue trade law and trade policy so that they can in the near future offer the country and the continent much needed expertise in the Multilateral Trading System. 

ENDS