Week Ten

This week officially marks my last week interning here at NCSC's International Programs Division this summer, and it's bittersweet in so many ways. 

I presented to the NCSC staff this past Wednesday on how the executive orders have affected the rule of law here in the States, with a focus on the orders targeting prominent law firms. It was very rewarding to successfully use the knowledge I've gained on the rule of law throughout my time here, and it felt like the perfect ending to the summer. At the same time, I still had more work to do! I wrapped up the remaining work I was assigned for the sanctions proposal on Monday, but I had a few new assignments roll in as well. The main one was research for a potential partnership opportunity for NCSC that would focus on commercial court and code reform. I began my research by looking into what countries have developed commercial courts or codes in the past ten years. Countries such as Singapore, Germany, India, and the Netherlands have taken steps to create specialized courts so domestic or international companies can solve business disputes in an efficient and easy manner. I had never thought of this before, but creating commercial courts or codes is a great way for a country to attract foreign investment and business, as it allows foreign companies to have better access to justice in the country. 

Aside from that, I wrapped up a few other small assignments I had and began to reflect on what a great summer it was at NCSC. On the last day, my boss took the interns out for lunch, and he asked us what we learned the most from this summer. He prefaced the question with a disclaimer, saying he understood how with everything happening with foreign aid and the administration, our expectations for our summer work was likely not met and apologized for how chaotic it was in the office. I thought about it for a second, but then realized that I wouldn't have wanted it any other way. I learned so much from working at an organization that focuses on rule of law initiatives abroad at a time when those initiatives are being directly attacked. It was fascinating to observe how to ensure a project's survival, meaning project must be presented correctly to the administration so it seems aligned with their interests and policies. NCSC focused on changing words such as "due process" and "human rights" into language that the administration wants, which is more along the lines of "transnational crime," "illicit financing," and "the prosecution of crimes". You can't help but reflect on how removing the focus on individual rights and liberties in the justice sector can create reverberating effects through all foreign aid, not just during this administration. But an organization like NCSC needs to continue to get government contracts to survive, so they have to conform to the administration's priorities. My boss described this to us as their poison, and the foreign aid industry got so addicted to government funding that political actors can use that addiction as a weapon. I know looking back at this experience, I will be able to draw from multiple experiences things I learned from working during the foreign aid crisis, and I am so grateful I could work to support an organization like NCSC and their incredible mission. 

With that being said, thanks for an amazing summer!