Programme

Capacity building in outer space

policy, law, and regulation in
Africa
13th Africa regional round of the Manfred
Lachs space law moot court competition
held at the Council for Scientific and Industrial
Research (CSIR), building 22, 2nd Floor.

10-12 May 2023

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OVERVIEW

The Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition is an international capacity-building programme organised by the International Institute
of Space Law (IISL). The 2023 Africa Round is hosted by the Department of Trade Industry and Competition (the dtic) and the South African
Council for Space affairs (SACSA) in collaboration with the National Earth Observations and Space Secretariat (NEOSS), an initiative of the
Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), that is managed and hosted by the CSIR, Law Space Africa (LSA), Learn Space Africa and NARSDA

The competition offers a platform and exposure for students, academics, legal professionals and space community to legal debates on matters
of international space law. It particularly presents a unique opportunity for university law and science students from different parts of the world
to engage in legal matters related to outer space, telecoms, earth observation and aerospace.

The winner of the Africa Region will represent Africa in the 74th International Astronautical Congress (IAC) to be held from 2-6 October in
Baku, Azerbaijan, the world’s largest convention for the space industry – to compete in the world finals. The world finals are traditionally judged
by three members of the International Court of Justice.

THE CASE

The case is based on a hypothetical space law dispute brought before the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The 20223 problem concerns
questions related to a “Case Concerning Laser Activities and the Use of Anti-Satellite Weapons in Outer Space”. For more detail about the
problem, please refer to http://www.iislweb.org/docs/2023problem.pdf .

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 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
DAY ONE: PRELIMINARIES

(NB: Teams to join links 15 minutes prior to the scheduled rounds, using the dedicated link)
In the Official Rules, under ARTICLE 7: ORAL ARGUMENTS; Section (3) says : Regional Organizers may decide that each side will argue thirty (30) minutes in total,
including questions from the Bench, and that each agent must argue for at least twelve (12) consecutive minutes, with two (2) to six (6) minutes reserved for
rebuttal or surrebuttal, if that is preferable for practical purposes.
07:30-08:00 Arrival, Tea, and Coffee Link to join the session
08:00-08:10 Welcome by the dtic: Dr Maria Ria Nonyana-Mokabane, Acting Deputy Click here
Director General
Morning Sessions
Judges
Ms. Adv. Icho Kealetswe Matlou, Botswana
Mr. Isah Yahaya Akor, Nigeria
Ms. Joan Chesoni, Kenya
08:10-09:10 Court 1:1A vs 7R Click here
09:10-10:10 Court 2:2A vs 9R Click here
10:10-11:10 Court 3: 3A vs14R Click here
11:10-12:10 Court 4: 4A vs12R Click here
12:10-13:00 Court Recess, Judges Deliberations (15 Min) and submissions of scores Click here
Lunch Break
Afternoon session
Judges
Adv. Lulu Makapela, South Africa
Mr. John Olusoji Nester, Nigeria
13:00-14:00 Court 5: 5A vs 13R Click here
14:00-15:00 Court 6: 7A vs 11R Click here
15:00-16:00 Court 7: 16A vs 2R Click here

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

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 DAY TWO: SEMI FINALS
(NB: Teams to join links 15 minutes prior to the scheduled rounds, using the dedicated link)
In the Official Rules, under ARTICLE 7: ORAL ARGUMENTS; Section (3) says : Regional Organizers may decide that each side will argue thirty (30) minutes in total,
including questions from the Bench, and that each agent must argue for at least twelve (12) consecutive minutes, with two (2) to six (6) minutes reserved for
rebuttal or surrebuttal, if that is preferable for practical purposes.
08:30-09:00 Arrival, Tea and Coffee LINK TO JOIN THE SESSTION

Morning Sessions
Judges
Adv. Icho Kealetswe Matlou, Botswana
Mr. Isah Yahaya Akor, Nigeria
Ms. Ruvimbo Samanga, Zimbabwe
09:00-10:00 Court 8: 9A vs 15R Click here
10:00-11:00 Court 9: 11A vs 1R Click here
11:00-11:15 Court Recess, Judges Deliberations (Strictly 15 Min) Click here
11:15-12:15 Court 10: 12A vs 3R Click here
12:15-13:00 Court Recess, Judges Deliberations (15 Min) and submissions of scores Click here
Lunch Break
Afternoon Sessions
Judges
Adv Lulu Makapela, South Africa
Mr. John Olusoji Nester, Nigeria
Ms Joan Chesoni, Kenya
13:00-14:00 Court 11:13A vs 4R Click here
14:00-15:00 Court 12:14A vs 5R Click here
15:00-16:00 Court13:15A vs 16R Click here
16:15-17:00 Judges feedback, announcement of the winners proceeding to the finals Click here
Judges Final Deliberations (Strictly 15 min)
Judges feedback, announcement of the winners proceeding to the finals.

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 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
DAY THREE
AFRICA REGIONAL FINALS
(Open to the public)

(All attendees to login online arrive 15 minutes prior to the scheduled rounds. Each side will argue thirty (30) minutes in total including questions to the Bench)
Each agent must argue for at least twelve (12) consecutive minutes with two (2) to six (6) minutes reserved for rebuttal or surrebuttal.

09:00-10:00 Arrival, Tea, and Coffee

10:00-11:00 Moot Court competition (FINALS) Click here

11:00-11:30 Court recess and Judges final deliberations Click here

Feedback to the teams and Award Announcement (Winner, Runner-up, Second

11:30-12:00
runner -up, Best Memorial and Best Oralist) Click here (Same as the finals Link)

12:00-12:15 Closing remarks by the dtic

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 LIST OF JUDGES

Memorials
Ms. Vivianne Muthoni, Kenya
Mr. Ikho Tshweza, South Africa
Ms. Ruvimbo Samanga, Zimbabwe
Mr. Isah Yahaya Akor, Nigeria
Mr. John Olusoji Nester, Nigeria

Orals

Mr. Isah Yahaya Akor, Nigeria

Mr. John Olusoji Nester, Nigeria
Ms. Adv. Icho Kealetswe Matlou, Botswana
Ms. Ruvimbo Samanga, Zimbabwe
Ms Joan Chesoni, Kenya
Ms. Adv. Lulu Makapela, South Africa
Dr Maria Ria Nonyana-Mokabane, South Africa

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 CONTACT PERSONS
Ms. Nomfuneko Majaja
Chief Director and Africa Regional Coordinator
Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic)
Cell: 0798818128
E-mail: nmajaja@thedtic.gov.za
nmajaja@gmail.com

and

Mr Ntembeko Njovane
Deputy Director: Space Affairs and Assistant Regional coordinator
Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic)

South African Council for Space Affairs (SACSA)

SACSA Website: www.sacsa.gov.za

National Coordinators
Ms Beauler Wozhele, Zimbabwe
Law Space Africa (LSA), South Africa
Website: www.lawspaceafrica.org
Email: beaulerwozhele@yahoo.com

And
Nigerian Space Agency and Learn Space Africa, Nigeria,
Website: www.learnspaceafrica.org and www.narsda.ng.org