Page 107 - Research & Innovation Report 2020

LAW

not a coastal state in terms of the United Nations Convention on As part of her master’s studies, Ndila is currently busy researching
the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), an international treaty adopted and a suitable topic towards her research paper. She is particularly
signed in 1982,” says Ndila. interested in marine spatial planning, relating to sustainable
governance of the ocean.
According to the Tribunal in this decision, in establishing the
MPA, the United Kingdom was under an obligation to “endeavour Apart from her master’s, Ndila participates in various initiatives and
to harmonize” its policies with Mauritius. The Tribunal added programmes of interest, having identified the need for innovation
that there are instances whereby environmental considerations in the legal practice. These include the Legal Geek Mentorship
could potentially justify, for the purposes of Article 194(4), the Programme; various webinars and roundtable talks organised
infringement of Mauritian fishing rights in the territorial sea. by Netlaw Media, TechNation, LawTech UK, Radiant Law and
They however accepted that such justification would require the Innovation in Law Studies Alliance; volunteering in the 2020
significant engagement with Mauritius to explain the need Africa Innovation Week; and assisting with the organisation of a
for the measure and to explore less restrictive alternatives. panel webinar on POPIA, the Cybercrimes Bill and the future of
Something which Mauritius believes was not done. The Tribunal Information Security in South Africa, hosted by the Innovation
therefore concluded that the declaration of the MPA was not Law Club. Ndila is passionate about legal empowerment and
compatible with Article 194(4) and Mauritian fishing activities in development and hopes her master’s will afford her the opportunity
the territorial sea. of making a lifelong contribution to the legal fraternity.

“For my master’s I wanted to pursue an

area of law which, in my opinion, needs

developing, as most people within the

fraternity are not familiar with it.”

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