Somalia rejects mediation offer in maritime dispute with Kenya

GOOBJOOG NEWS | MOGADISHU: Somalia has said it will not accept mediation over its maritime tiff with Kenya.

Somalia’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs Ali Mohamed Omar told a committee of MPs that Somalia was not in any talks with Kenya to resolve the dispute.

The members of parliament had sought clarification from State the Federal Government following reports that Kenya’s President William Ruto had asked the Djiboutian counterpart Omar Ismael Guelleh to help broker the deal.

The minister, instead, says Somalia will abide by the International Court if Justice (ICJ) ruling issued in October 2021, which mostly re-demarcated the sea border between the two countries.

“Regarding the remarks made by Ruto, the maritime dispute was settled by the ICJ and there is no turning point on that. The court verdict favoured Somalia’s sovereignty,” Omar stated.