Kenya remains adamant on sea dispute with neigbouring Somalia
Kenya has remained inflexible on its dispute with Somalia on Indian Ocean dispute filing its response at the International Court of Justice.
A statement from the office of the attorney general Githu Muigai stated Kenya’s position is that the maritime sea border remains as it is and the dispute to be solved outside the court through negotiations.
“This position is entrenched in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and several resolutions and decisions of the Africa Union Heads of State and government adopted since 1964” read the statement.
The Court which is based in The Hague, The Netherlands is expected to give directions on the issue in the early parts of 2018 and its decision is usually biding and final.
July 10th 2015, Somalia snubbed out-of-court talks in Kenya border dispute and filed its petition on 13th July, 2015
Both Somalia and Kenya are claiming a patch of about 1000 km that is said to be rich in natural resources such as Gas, Oil and Fish. The dispute arose in 2009 and has been the talking point since then. In 2011, Kenyan troops crossed into Somalia following a spate of attacks and kidnappings in the coast region. Kenya blamed al-Shabaab for the attacks and sought to launch attacks inside Somalia.
ICJ is a United Nations court tasked with arbitrating disputes between states and has on a number of occasions ruled on boundary issues between many countries including the long time contested Bakassi Peninsula between Nigeria and Cameroon in 1999. The court ruled in favour of Cameroon and the territory was transferred to Cameroon in August 14, 2008.
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