An Indian Ocean border dispute lasting several years between East African nations, Kenya and Somalia has reached a decisive conclusion as the International Court of Justice consisting of a 14 Judge panel ruled in favor of Somalia.
The United Nations highest court gave Somalia larger control over the 100,000 square-kilometer contested portion of the Indian Ocean, while Kenya maintains 39,000 square-mile of the region. The area known as Lamu waters is rich in oil and gas as well as perfect for fishing which is believed to be the genesis of the contention.
The court also ruled against an argument that Kenya violated Somalia’s sovereignty by operating in its territorial waters for which it demanded compensation, based on a lack of evidence to back Kenya’s claim that Somalia had previously assented to its claimed border.
While Somalia jubilates over the joyous news, Kenya has rejected the ruling and questions the ICJ’s jurisdictional overreach. Kenya, despite withdrawing its participation from the case a week to the final verdict and the court’s jurisdiction, according to the court, had signed up to the court’s authority in 1960 and thus should be bound by the decision.
“The court has already said Kenya does not have any legal grounds to reject this judgement because it signed up to this court’s authority in the 1960s and can’t retroactively renege on that”.
Malcolm Webb, Al Jazeera
