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Chad: First national competition in international humanitarian law

01-04-2014 News Release 14/39

N'Djamena (ICRC) – The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is organizing the first national moot-court competition in international humanitarian law to be held in Chad. The event will take place in N'Djamena on 27 and 28 March and involve students from four of the country's universities.

"The competition is a fun way to enhance student interest in this branch of law," said Linh Schroeder, head of the ICRC delegation in N'Djamena. International humanitarian law aims to limit the effects of armed conflict by protecting people not, or no longer, taking part in hostilities, and by restricting the choice of methods and means of warfare. Its main rules are set out in the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols of 1977, all of which have been ratified by Chad.

"We're holding the moot-court competition to promote the teaching of this subject in Chadian universities and public awareness of the importance of adhering to the rules in armed conflict," said Ms Schroeder. The universities of Abéché, Doba and Moundou as well as that of N'Djamena will be taking part. Each will be represented by one female and two male students. The final round of the competition will pit against each other the two teams that earn the highest number of points in the preliminary round.

Among the members of the jury are Brigadier General Dingamadji Madjior Solness, coordinator of the steering committee within the defence ministry responsible for peace-keeping operations, Tordeta Ratebaye, director of legal affairs at the foreign ministry, and Bégoto Miarom, deputy director general for legislation at the justice ministry.

The finals and the award ceremony will take place on 28 March at the National Museum in N'Djamena in the presence of many other high officials.

For further information, please contact:
Daphné Lucas, ICRC N'Djamena, tel: +235 66 20 10 05