Monday, September 1, 2014

Somalia Institutes Maritime Proceeding Against Kenya

Somalia on 28 August 2014 instituted proceedings against Kenya before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) with regard to a dispute concerning maritime delimitation in the Indian Ocean.  The ICJ press release states that Somalia contends the two countries disagree about the location of the maritime boundary in the area where their maritime entitlements overlap.  Somalia asked the ICJ to determine, on the basis of international law, the complete course of the maritime boundary dividing all the maritime areas pertaining to Somalia and Kenya in the Indian Ocean.  Somalia's 17-page application with sketch maps is available on the ICJ website.

Driving this application is Kenya's designation of oil blocks in Indian Ocean waters claimed by Somalia.  It is a credit to Somalia that, in spite of its many problems, it has the capacity to submit a professionally done claim to the ICJ.  The situation is complicated by the fact that Kenyan troops remain in the Lower Juba as part of AMISOM.