The Somalia government on Thursday rejected the Kenyan government’s request to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to delay the maritime case between the two neighboring East African countries, reported Anadolu Agency.
Addressing a news conference in Mogadishu, Somalia’s Information Minister Osman Dubbe said his country has rejected Kenya’s request that it made for the fourth time.
“We have rejected Kenya’s fourth request to the ICJ to postpone the two countries’ maritime case. Justice delayed is justice denied. We should be set to head to The Hague court on March 15 come what may,” Dubbe said.
He added that the Somalia government has told the International Court of Justice that it is ready for the March 15 hearing and don’t want any further postponement.
The dispute between Kenya and Somalia is related to their Indian Ocean border.
The two countries are seeking a resolution on the ownership of a 150,000 square-kilometer (58,000 square-mile) area off their Indian Ocean coastline, which both countries want to explore for oil, gas, and fish.
Somalia took to the case to the ICJ in 2014 to challenge a 2009 agreement that set its maritime border along latitudinal lines extending 450 nautical miles into the sea.
The diplomatic ties between the two eastern African nations turned sour in 2019 after Kenya accused Somalia of auctioning four offshore oil blocks in a disputed offshore area, an allegation Somalia denied.
The Kenyan government has urged for a postponement in the case hearing because it wants in-person proceedings, said Ken Ogeto, the country’s Solicitor General.
Ogeto said the case is a complex one and requires proper presentation. He said there are maps, and documents that need to be illustrated in court, and that would not be possible in a virtual hearing.
He added that for such a serious matter to be heard virtually would be unfair and prejudicial to Kenya.
