Participating in the South Asia Regional Rounds of the FDI Moot has been an incredible and transformative experience for our team. As the premier investor-State arbitration moot, the FDI Moot offers a unique and invaluable opportunity for law students to get a hands-on approach to gain practical insights into the dynamics of arbitration and investment law.

Following our selection, we began training for the competition around June. Our FDI journey was both challenging and rewarding. We began by analyzing the moot problem, breaking it down, and formulating our arguments. We then transitioned into preparing for the upcoming oral rounds at the FDI regionals held at Lloyd law college, India. This involved testing the resilience of our arguments during a pleading, refining our oral advocacy skills, and learning to effectively communicate our arguments under pressure. We also had the opportunity to plead against other universities from the Maldives and several international institutions. The arbitrators helped us refine our arguments by helping us recognize our weak points by posing insightful questions.

The FDI Moot has truly been an enriching experience, it also offered a platform for us to engage with academics and practitioners from around the world, fostering discussions on the latest developments in this evolving area of law.

Our journey would not have been possible without the unwavering support and dedication of the Maldives Moot Court Society (MMCS) coaching pool, Vineela Kottapali, Saranya Ravindran, Amish Abdullah from Villa College, Suma Ilyas and Zayan Shareef. We are deeply grateful for their relentless guidance, encouragement, and commitment to pushing us beyond our limits and ensuring we were well-prepared for every challenge we faced.

We would also like to extend our heartfelt thanks to the Faculty of Shari’ah and Law of Villa College along with the Maldives Moot Court Society (MMCS) for providing us with this incredible opportunity. Their commitment to fostering an environment of learning and growth for us has been invaluable.