Middle East & North Africa

In the Middle East and North Africa, the ABA Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI) administers regional and bilateral programs focusing on judicial development, women and the law, legal education, and the legal profession. These initiatives endeavor to strengthen the standing of individual countries and the region as a whole vis-à-vis international standards on judicial independence. They also support the legal rights of women and their participation in the legal profession across the region while augmenting legal professional development and legal education.

ABA ROLI programs in the Middle East and North Africa have included regional programs for members of the legal community in Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. The ABA ROLI maintains offices and bilateral programs in Algeria, Bahrain, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, and Qatar. ABA ROLI is also implementing programs in Syria from remote locations.

ABA ROLI’s technical legal assistance programs are funded primarily by the United States Department of State, U.S. Agency for International Development. The Dutch and British governments also provide some support to ABA ROLI programs.

Kingdom of Jordan to Host the Arab Council for Judicial and Legal Studies’ Headquarters

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan will host the Headquarters of the Arab Council for Judicial and Legal Studies (ACJLS), following a decision by Jordan’s cabinet and the completion of an agreement between the two parties. Jordanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Salaheddin Al Bashir and Bahraini Minister of Justice and Islamic Affairs Khalid Bin Ali Bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, a founding member of the ACJLS, signed the agreement on behalf of the Kingdom of Jordan and the ACJLS, respectively. Read more »»

 

Law Office Management Training for Bahraini Lawyers

In early November, the Bahraini Ministry of Justice and the Judicial and Legal Studies Institute, with the support of the ABA Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI), trained practicing lawyers on law office management. The training was initiated in response to requests, from both new and established lawyers and judges, for a program that enhances their practical skills and makes them more successful practitioners. Read more »»

 

Lebanese Law Students Participate in Second Annual Moot Court Competition

In late October, La Sagesse University in Beirut, Lebanon, held its second annual moot court competition. Participants included 11 fourth-year law students who acted as either prosecutor or defense counsel for a fictitious defendant in a simulated International Criminal Court proceeding. The simulated proceeding raised complex issues, such as admissibility of the case in view of an earlier amnesty decision and the applicability of the doctrine of command responsibility. Read more »»

 

Algeria National Judicial Institute Pilots E-Learning Course

In October, the ABA Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI) piloted an e-learning course on the Algerian Family Code for law students and experts at the national judicial training school, Ecole Supérieure de la Magistrature (ESM). The three-day workshop, which was held in Algiers, is part of ABA ROLI’s regional program in the Middle East and North Africa to develop an innovative e-learning judicial curriculum that provides judges with standardized, quality information on international gender equality principles and local family codes. Read more »

 

Yarmouk University Launches Alternative Dispute Resolution Course in Jordan

On September 18, Yarmouk University, one of the largest and oldest universities in Jordan, launched an alternative dispute resolution (ADR) course for undergraduate and graduate law students. The course, developed with ABA Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI) support, reflects the university’s commitment to modern and practical legal curricula. Read more »»