Where are the national rounds of the competition held?

The national rounds of the competition are held in Nairobi, KEN.

What is the educational level of participants in this competition?

The competition is designed for college-level participants.

What is the focus of the Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition?

The competition focuses on international space law, with participants arguing a hypothetical case before a simulated International Court of Justice.

Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition - Kenya National Rounds

Mar 18, 2026Nairobi, KenyaIn-person

Registration open

The Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition, a prestigious international event focusing on space law, is holding its national rounds in KEN. This competition brings together college students to argue a hypothetical case before a simulated International Court of Justice, addressing complex legal issues arising from activities in outer space. The national rounds serve as a crucial step for teams vying to represent their country on the global stage.

Committees & topics

Topics
Space Law: Governing Activities Beyond Earth · Public International Law: Framework, Sources, and Contemporary Strain

Why it matters

The Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition is significant for several reasons. Firstly, it fosters expertise in space law, a rapidly evolving field with increasing relevance due to advancements in space exploration and commercialization. As more nations and private entities engage in space activities, the need for legal frameworks and skilled practitioners becomes paramount. Secondly, the competition provides a platform for future legal professionals to develop critical advocacy, research, and analytical skills. These abilities are essential not only for careers in international law but also for contributing to the peaceful and orderly use of outer space.

Furthermore, the competition highlights the importance of international cooperation in space governance. The hypothetical cases often involve disputes between states or private actors, necessitating an understanding of treaties like the "Outer Space Treaty" and other international legal instruments. By engaging with these complex scenarios, participants gain insight into the diplomatic and legal challenges of managing a shared domain like space. The national rounds in KEN underscore the growing interest and investment in space-related legal education within the region, contributing to a broader global dialogue on space policy and law.

How to prepare

Participants in the Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition should focus their preparation on a deep understanding of international space law. This includes mastering key treaties and principles that govern activities in outer space. Familiarity with the jurisprudence of the International Court of Justice and other international tribunals is also crucial, as the competition simulates proceedings before this body.

Effective preparation involves meticulous research into the specific legal issues presented in the hypothetical case, developing compelling arguments for both the applicant and respondent, and anticipating counter-arguments. Students should hone their oral advocacy skills, practicing clear, concise, and persuasive presentations. The ability to respond articulately to judicial questioning is also vital. Given the college level of the competition, teams should prioritize collaborative research and strategic planning to build a robust case and present a unified front.

Country perspectives

Where the most-relevant 1 countries stand on the core issues in play. Click through for the full country profile.

Kenya

Host of the national rounds, demonstrating a growing interest in space law and international legal education.

Role in topic

KEN's role as the host of the national rounds signifies its commitment to developing expertise in space law among its college students. This initiative contributes to building a cadre of legal professionals capable of navigating the complex legal landscape of outer space, aligning with the broader international effort to ensure the peaceful and sustainable use of space.

Topics & background

The background behind each topic and the actors that shape it.

Space Law: Governing Activities Beyond Earth

Space law emerged in the late 1950s as Cold War rivalry pushed states to negotiate ground rules for a new frontier. The 1967 Outer Space Treaty (OST) established foundational principles: outer space is the province of all humankind, not subject to national appropriation; states bear international responsibility for national activities, including those of non-governmental entities; celestial bodies are to be used exclusively for peaceful purposes; and weapons of mass destruction may not be placed in orbit. Subsequent UN instruments — the 1968 Rescue Agreement, 1972 Liability Convention, 1975 Registration Convention, and the largely unratified 1979 Moon Agreement — built out the corpus, with UNCOPUOS and UNOOSA as the principal forums. The contemporary landscape has outpaced this framework. Mega-constellations such as Starlink and OneWeb have multiplied active satellites tenfold within a decade, intensifying orbital debris and spectrum-coordination concerns. Destructive anti-satellite (ASAT) tests by China (2007), India (2019), and Russia (2021) generated long-lived debris fields and prompted a US-led voluntary moratorium endorsed by the General Assembly. Commercial actors now plan lunar resource extraction; the US Artemis Accords and parallel national space-resource laws (USA, Luxembourg, UAE, Japan) advance a permissive interpretation of OST Article II, while Russia and China have launched a competing International Lunar Research Station initiative. Core disputes today concern the legality of unilateral resource appropriation, liability for collisions and debris, the militarisation versus weaponisation distinction, and how to extend traditional state-centric rules to private actors. Negotiations on Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space (PAROS) remain deadlocked at the Conference on Disarmament, and the UN Open-Ended Working Group on reducing space threats has produced norms but no binding instrument. Moot problems typically probe these fault lines through hypothetical disputes involving satellite interference, lunar mining, or third-party damage.

Key players

Public International Law: Framework, Sources, and Contemporary Strain

Modern international law traces its architecture to the post-Westphalian state system and was decisively reshaped after 1945. The UN Charter, the Statute of the International Court of Justice, and the 1969 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties codified the sources recognised in ICJ Statute Article 38: treaties, customary international law, general principles, and, as subsidiary means, judicial decisions and scholarship. On this foundation the post-war order built specialised regimes — international humanitarian law (Geneva Conventions), human rights law, the law of the sea (UNCLOS), international criminal law, trade law (GATT/WTO), and environmental law — each with its own institutions and dispute-settlement bodies. Despite this density, enforcement remains decentralised and politically contingent. The ICJ depends on state consent; the ICC's jurisdiction is contested by major powers including the United States, Russia, China, and India; and Security Council vetoes have repeatedly blocked responses to crises in Syria, Ukraine, and Gaza. Recurring questions concern the legality of the use of force outside Article 51 and Council authorisation (e.g., Kosovo 1999, Iraq 2003), the doctrines of humanitarian intervention and the Responsibility to Protect, the reach of universal jurisdiction, and the relationship between state sovereignty and erga omnes obligations such as the prohibition of genocide. Current flashpoints illustrate the system's strain and resilience. South Africa's genocide case against Israel and Ukraine's proceedings against Russia have placed the ICJ at the centre of active conflicts; ICC arrest warrants against sitting leaders have tested cooperation obligations under the Rome Statute; and advisory opinions on climate obligations, the Chagos Archipelago, and the occupied Palestinian territories are reshaping doctrine. For moot purposes, contemporary problems often weave together treaty interpretation, state responsibility under the ILC Articles, and jurisdictional questions before international tribunals.

Key players

Resources

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2N
2026 National Rounds of the Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition
Mar 17, 2026Nairobi, Kenya

Kenya College March 2026

By committee

Frequently asked questions

Why it matters

How to prepare

Committees & topics

Why it matters

How to prepare

Country perspectives

Topics & background

Resources

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Committees & topics

Why it matters

How to prepare

Country perspectives

Topics & background

Resources

Related conferences

2026 National Rounds of the Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Court Competition

Frequently asked questions