In October 2017, Gibraltar Crown Counsel Muhammad M. Rahman was selected by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) as an International Consultant to develop a Legislative Drafting Manual for the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.

Mr Rahman’s assignment for the UNDP covered the following:

a) to develop a Legislative Drafting Manual for use by the Legislative Drafters in Afghanistan;

b) to (review existing manuals, if any); and

c) to build capacity of the Taqnin (Legislative Drafting Department) of the Ministry of Justice and line ministries’ legal drafters how to use the legislative drafting manual and consequently draft laws and other legal documents in compliance with the international standards.

In the 1st week of March 2018 Mr Rahman visited Kabul, Afghanistan, where he was warmly received by both the UNDP and the Ministry of Justice of the Government of Afghanistan as an International Expert from Gibraltar. Mr Rahman undertook meetings with the Ministry of Justice and led a highly successful training workshop for 65 legislative drafters and legal advisers of the Government of Afghanistan. The workshop taught the modern style and techniques of legislative drafting, how these should be used in the Afghan civil law style of drafting, and how the legislative drafting manual should be used in the day-to-day drafting of legislation.

Commenting on his work, Mr Rahman said: “My role throughout has been as a Gibraltarian Expert and I wholeheartedly represented Gibraltar in my work and during my travels. It’s been a huge challenge for me as Afghanistan is a civil law country and its overall legal, judicial and legislative systems are quite different from other parts of the world – Gibraltar, for example, follows a common law system. Furthermore, the Afghan official language is not English: the official languages are Da’ri (Farsi) and Pashto. Afghanistan is a multi-language country with Islamic Shari’a influenced culture and traditions. However, my knowledge in Islamic Shari’a and huge experience in legislative drafting, both academically and practically, was an advantage when undertaking this massive challenge. At the end of my visit, I submitted the Final Version of the Manual to the Project Manager of the Access to Justice Project in Kabul, with my recommendations for improvements of the existing system.”

The Minister for Justice of the Government of Afghanistan thanked Mr Rahman with a farewell reception and an official Letter of Appreciation. The Ministry of Justice of the Government of Afghanistan has also expressed its gratitude to the Government of Gibraltar for allowing Mr Rahman to undertake this important work for the UNDP as well as for Afghanistan.

Mr. Rahman is currently seconded to the Gibraltar Maritime Administration and Gibraltar Port Authority as Crown Counsel and drafter.

Minister for the Port and Maritime Services, the Hon. Gilbert Licudi QC, said: “I would like to congratulate Muhammad Rahman on his successful project; one that does not just reflect his own vast personal knowledge and dedication to public law drafting, but also the high level expertise we have available within HM Government of Gibraltar in specialised subjects.”