Abuja: The ECOWAS Court of Justice has inaugurated a moot court competition for West African law students aimed at fostering legal interaction and empowering the youth in the subregion. The event, themed ‘Promoting Regional Integration and Human Rights Through Judicial Processes in West Africa,’ is designed to bring students together to simulate proceedings before the court, offering them firsthand exposure to an international tribunal’s workings and the opportunity to refine their advocacy skills.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the Community Court’s President, Justice Ricardo Gon§alves, described the event as a landmark initiative in advancing legal education and regional integration in West Africa. He emphasized that the moot court competition embodies an academic exercise and serves as a strategic platform for building a more engaged, informed, and cohesive legal community across the subregion. Justice Gon§alves highlighted the ECOWAS Court’s role as the principal judicial organ of ECOWAS, tasked with delivering justice and fostering judicial understanding and accessibility.
“This moot court competition reflects our enduring commitment to public engagement and nurturing the next generation of legal minds,” Gon§alves stated. He further noted that regional integration is not solely an economic or political pursuit but also a legal one, built on institutions that are transparent, fair, and accessible to all.
The President underscored the initiative’s goals, which include deepening participants’ knowledge of the ECOWAS Court’s mandate and its contributions to regional peace, human rights, and integration. The competition is also designed to sharpen the advocacy, research, and legal writing skills of aspiring lawyers, providing them with tools critical both in the courtroom and in public service. Additionally, the competition aims to raise awareness about the court’s work throughout the region and build public trust in regional justice mechanisms.
Justice Gon§alves emphasized the event’s role in fostering meaningful connections among students, academics, legal practitioners, and ECOWAS institutions. “This event is both timely and transformative, this is your moment. Be bold in legal reasoning, rigorous in your arguments, and be always guided by ethics,” he advised the participants. He expressed hope that the competition would inspire a new generation to uphold the ideals of justice, solidarity, and integration in West Africa.
The inaugural edition of the competition features eight Nigerian universities, with plans to make it an annual event that will eventually expand to include all West African universities’ law faculties. Dr. Yaouza Ouro-Sama, the court’s Chief Registrar, described the event as a ‘historic moment’ that enriches legal education, promotes youth engagement, regional integration, and justice advancement. He emphasized that the competition is a practical learning platform reflecting real courtroom procedures.
NAN reports that the participating universities were selected from thirteen institutions based on their outstanding performances in the memorial submission stage. The event, attended by judges, academics, legal professionals, and university representatives, marked the official opening of the moot court competition among the participating universities.