AN INITIATIVE OF WADR

Lady Justice Joyce Aluoch Inter-Varsity ADR Moot

Bridging Borders: Alternative Dispute Resolution as the Key to Resolving Trade and Regional Disputes under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

ABOUT THE COMPETITION

Africa's premier student ADR competition

The Lady Justice Joyce Aluoch International Inter-Varsity Annual ADR Moot Competition was established to provide students with a transformative experience in Alternative Dispute Resolution, focusing on mediation and negotiation. It is an initiative of Women in Alternative Dispute Resolution (WADR), an organisation dedicated to empowering ADR professionals, particularly women, across Africa.

The competition is named in honour of Lady Justice Joyce Aluoch, a distinguished jurist and former judge at the International Criminal Court (ICC), globally recognised for her commitment to peacemaking, mediation, and arbitration.

The 2025 edition was hosted at USIU-Africa’s School of Humanities and Social Sciences (SHSS) in collaboration with WADR, bringing together 17 universities from Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa.

“I would like to also appreciate Women in ADR for providing young dispute resolution enthusiasts with a platform to showcase their talents.”
— Rasmeet Kaur, Best Overall Mediator, Moot 2025

2025 MOOT COMPETITION

DATE
August 18–22, 2025
9:00 AM – 4:00 PM daily
VENUE
USIU-Africa, SHSS
Nairobi, Kenya
THEME
AfCFTA & Trade Dispute Resolution
Cross-border ADR under the African Continental Free Trade Area
CO-ORGANIZER
USIU-Africa
In collaboration with WADR
2025 RESULTS
🏆 OVERALL WINNER
Strathmore Law School
Kenya
1st RUNNERS UP
USIU-Africa
Best overall mediator
Rasmeet Kaur — Strathmore University

COMPETITION HIGHLIGHTS

What Happens at the Moot

⚖️
Moot rounds
Top universities competing in simulated cases focused on trade and regional dispute resolution under AfCFTA.
🎓
Workshops & training
Sessions led by experienced mediators, arbitrators, and legal cross-border trade experts from across Africa.
🗣️
Panel discussions
Industry professionals discussing AfCFTA, ADR, commercial mediation, and cross-border trade challenges.
🤝
Networking
Interaction with law firms, ADR and trade institutions, corporate legal teams, and policymakers.
🏅
Awards
Recognising outstanding students and best-performing teams across oral advocacy, written submissions, and team performance.
🌍
Pan-African reach
17 universities from Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa — making it a truly continental competition.

AWARDS

Award Categories

🎤
Oral advocacy
Overall ability to present arguments effectively in proceedings.
📝
Written advocacy
Most well-researched, well-written, and persuasive written submissions.
🤺
Team award
Overall success encompassing both oral and written advocacy skills.
👨‍⚖️
Judge’s choice
Best courtroom etiquette and overall presentation as selected by judges.
✨
Spirit of the moot
The team that best embodied the spirit and values of the competition.