By Sileshi Yilma/ Public and International Relations Directorate
Four students of Haramaya University’s College of Law (CoL) left to Geneva, Switzerland on May 12, 2014 to compete in the Final Oral Round of the European Law Students’ Association (ELSA) Moot Court Competition on World Trade Organization (WTO) Law.
In the event, which will take place from May 13 to 18, 2014, third year and fourth year students will participate. They are Yidnekachew Biru (4th year), Delil Werkicho (4th year), Barnabas Temesgen (3rd year), and Getahun Abate (3rd year). They were able to make to this stage following their success in the Regional Round which took place on April 2, 2014 at Wits University, South Africa. During the time, the team from Haramaya Unversity (HU) took the second position, where as students from Rhodes University in South Africa finished as the number one winners and the team from National University of Lesotho took the third position.
The achievement of the students from HU, who now stand alone as the only team representing Ethiopia, had received good media coverage by one of the well known newspapers in South Africa, The Times, as well as local media outlets such as Fana Broadcasting Corporate (FBC) and Ethiopian News Agency (ENA).According to the information obtained from The Times newspaper in South Africa, the students said that adjusting to the court setting and arguing the case was challenging.
Representing Africa in the competition was a privilege and that they were looking forward to returning to raise awareness of trade law both on- and off-campus, the students told The Times newspaper.
According to the information HU Online obtained, the preliminary rounds will take place at the Graduate Institute’s Villa Rigot whilst the Grand Final will take place at the WTO headquarters.