MOGADISHU—Somalia’s foreign affairs ministry has denied President Ruto’s maritime dispute talks arbitrated by his Djibouti counterpart, Ismail Omar.
While appearing before the parliamentary Committee on Foreign Affairs in Mogadishu on Saturday, the State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ali Balcad said the comment made by President William Ruto in Djibouti “came as a surprise to us (Somalia).
“We all understand that the maritime dispute was settled by the International Court of Justice. President Ruto was perhaps referring to the remaining process of how to implement the Court ruling,” Balcad said.
While addressing the National Assembly of Djibouti on June, President Ruto lauded Ismail Omar for “mobilising effective consensus among IGAD members. ”
He continued: “I also appreciate Djibouti in leading the fact-finding mission to assist in the resolution of the maritime dispute with our friendly neighbour (Somalia). Your efforts have been a tremendous source of comfort to us.”
In a lengthy judgment in October 2021, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has ruled that a contested maritime border between Somalia and Kenya should be adjusted in a way that grants Somalia rights over most of an oil-rich chunk of the Indian Ocean.
The judges at the top UN court ruled that there was “no agreed maritime boundary” in force, and drew a new border line close to the one previously proposed by Somalia.
Judges rejected the line Kenya proposed extending from its coast, saying it would have had a “severe cut-off effect” for Somalia. The court’s line adjusted Somalia’s proposal slightly, saying Kenya was at risk of its having maritime rights squeezed between Tanzania to the south and Somalia to the north.
The court found that Kenya had failed to prove there was an established sea boundary between the countries, which would have given it a greater piece of the contested territory. Although the ICJ decision cannot be appealed and is legally binding, it has no mechanism to enforce rulings. However, states can turn to the UN Security Council if another country fails to obey a ruling.
Uhuru Kenyatta, who was Kenya’s president then, said his government “rejects in totality and does not recognize the findings in the decision.”
Nairobi had already made it clear that it would no longer acknowledge the court’s jurisdiction, calling the ICJ “biased.”
