Oman Hosts Regional Humanitarian Law Moot Court
Law students from ten Arab countries are competing in a two-day humanitarian law event in Muscat.
Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Middle East
The fourth Regional Moot Court Competition in International Humanitarian Law began Wednesday in Muscat, Oman. Law faculty students from ten Arab countries are arguing hypothetical cases before arbitration panels of experts and judges.
Why it matters
The competition is organized by the Omani Committee for International Humanitarian Law and Sultan Qaboos University in cooperation with the International Committee of the Red Cross. It aims to strengthen students' legal skills and humanitarian principles and to prepare future legal professionals, consultants, and judges.
The event is the fourth edition of the regional competition, following the third edition hosted by Oman in 2022, with teams from Oman, the UAE, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Palestine, Lebanon, and Libya. Team counts and final outcomes were not disclosed in the available extraction.
The players
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
The ICRC is a Geneva-based humanitarian organization that promotes international humanitarian law and protects victims of armed conflict.
Anne Montavon
Anne Montavon is the Head of the Regional Delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross, overseeing the organization's work in the region.
Sultan Qaboos University
Sultan Qaboos University is a public research university in Muscat, Oman, and a leading academic institution in the country.
The details
Teams prepare legal memoranda and present oral pleadings in hypothetical cases before specialised arbitration panels made up of experts and judges in international humanitarian law. The Regional Delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross, headed by Anne Montavon, is supporting the event.
Timeline
2022: Oman hosted the third edition of the competition.
Wednesday, November 4, 2026: The fourth edition opened in Muscat for a two-day run.
Regional Legal Training
The competition builds on the ICRC's regional humanitarian law training efforts, extending them into a recurring moot court format now in its fourth edition. It develops a pipeline of Arab-region legal professionals versed in international humanitarian law.
Students and legal professionals interested in humanitarian law training can follow regional competitions hosted by Oman and partner institutions. Travelers to Muscat should note that the event is an academic competition rather than a public tourism attraction.
The takeaway
Regional moot courts give Arab law students practical experience in applying humanitarian law to realistic cases. Such programs help build the legal expertise needed to uphold humanitarian principles across the region.
Further reading
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