Kenya and Somalia are before the International Court of Justice in The Hague on Monday and for ten days. The effort is the demarcation of their maritime border, while important natural resources are at sea.
For Somalia, its maritime border with Kenya follows the course of the land border and sinks into the sea to the southeast. For Kenya, on the contrary, its border with Somalia follows a horizontal latitude from west to east. However, in the triangle between the two routes there is 100,000 km² of maritime territory and at least three submarine blocks containing oil and gas, but also waters with fish. It is therefore a major economic issue for both countries.
The legal battle has been going on for almost seven years. Somalia is the origin of it: on 28 August 2014, it brought before the International Court of Justice in The Hague what is being called a “proceeding” against Kenya over a “boundary dispute. Maritime in the Indian Ocean”.
All kinds of posts followed. But from Monday afternoon, lawyers in each country will finally be able to ask again: first Somalia, then Kenya. Then each country will have the opportunity to respond to the other’s objections. The court’s decision – without appeal – will be handed down later.
