The ACWL is pleased to announce that the 2023-2024 cycle of its Secondment Programme for Trade Lawyers has begun. On 2 October 2023, four government lawyers, Mr. Julio Kunda Muya from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ms Mamonaheng Agnes Faleng from Lesotho, Mr. Muhammad Umar Riaz from Pakistan, and Ms Chandiwari Mallawa Arachchige from Sri Lanka joined the ACWL as the newest participants in the Secondment Programme. These lawyers were selected from 43 eligible candidates that were nominated by the governments entitled to the ACWL’s services.
An introduction video of the new seconded lawyers is available below.
The Secondment Programme gives lawyers from the governments of least-developed countries (LDCs) and developing country ACWL Members the opportunity to broaden their professional experience in the field of WTO law by joining the ACWL’s staff as paid trainees for a nine-month term. The Programme provides the seconded lawyers with both theoretical training and practical experience in WTO law and an opportunity to participate actively in WTO dispute settlement proceedings.
To date, 62 lawyers from 21 different developing countries and 15 LDCs have been trained under the Programme, including 41 women and 21 men.
Mr. Julio Kunda Muya, Ms Mamonaheng Agnes Faleng, Mr. Muhammad Umar Riaz, Ms Chandiwari Mallawa Arachchige will remain at the ACWL until 30 June 2024, when they will return to their government positions.
In June 2023, Ms Valentina Botello León from Colombia, Ms Edmée Ratefinanahary Rantoarivola from Madagascar, Ms Bwalya Mwansa Salamu from Zambia and Ms Hoang Mai Tran from Viet Nam, completed their Secondments and returned to their government positions.
Invitations to nominate candidates for the 2024-2025 term of the Secondment Programme will be sent to ACWL developing country Members and to the LDCs that are entitled to the services of the ACWL in February 2024.
10 October 2023