The African regional round of the 2021 Manfred Lachs Space Moot Competition has rounded off. The Manfred Lachs Space Moot competition is an annual space moot competition organised by the International Institute of Space Law (IISL). The competition is in regional stages; each region – Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and North America – sends its representatives to the world finals, held at the sidelines of the International Astronomy Convention. The African regional round usually takes place in Pretoria, South Africa, where student teams from universities in Africa compete to represent the continent at the world finals.

Due to the pandemic, the African regional round was virtual. Seven schools participated with the University of Pretoria coming first with 46.3 points. Uganda’s Makerere University and Nigeria’s University of Lagos were first and second runners-up with 42.9 and 41.6 points, respectively. The other participants include Obafemi Awolowo University (Nigeria) – 39.8 points, University of Nigeria, Nsukka – 38.7, University of South Africa – 38.3, and University of Sierra Leone – 32.6. The organisers conducted the assessment via the participants’ submitted memorials. This is as the pandemic prevented the physical gathering for the subsequent oral rounds. 

The University of Pretoria will represent Africa at the world finals. The world finals will begin with the submission of each region’s memorials, after which the oral rounds will follow. The oral rounds will occur in two stages; the semifinals and the finals, in October 2021. The deadline for the submission of memorials is 31st July 2021. 

Due to the pervading effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic, IISL may hold the world finals may virtually.

See here for the unabridged problem of the moot case.

See here for the one-page synopsis of the problem.