ICJ delayed Somalia-Kenya maritime dispute, as Nairobi seeks negotiation

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The hearing of a maritime-border dispute between Somalia and Kenya, which is calling for a negotiated settlement, has been postponed again, and is now scheduled for June.

Kenya’s reapplication for a postponement was granted on the understanding that there will be no further delay, according to documents from the United Nations International Court of Justice. The session was due Nov. 4.

The case is related to the neighbors’ claims of ownership of a 150,000 square-kilometer (58,000 square-miles) area off their Indian Ocean coastline, that’s said to be rich in oil, gas and tuna fish. In 2014, Somalia went to court to challenge a 2009 agreement that set its maritime border along latitudinal lines extending 450 nautical miles into the sea.

It’s the second time the ICJ moves dates for court-hearing dates on Kenya’s request and against the wishes of Somalia. Kenya had asked the sessions to be held in September 2020 to allow it time to recruit a new legal team.

In the meantime, President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration is pushing for the matter to be resolved out of court through a negotiated settlement.

However, Somalia insisted the case to be heard on November 4 , as it was scheduled initially by the ICJ, and ready to defend her case before the court, according to the East African nation's Deputy PM, Mahdi Gulled Khadar.

Source: Bloomberg


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