Somali President Farmajo maintains ICJ will hear maritime case Somalia, Kenya

Photo/Somali Times




Somali President Mohamed Farmaajo has said he and President Uhuru Kenyatta have agreed to let the ICJ resolve the maritime dispute. Farmajo made the announcement on Thursday, when giving his speech at the UN General Assembly in New York.

“We agreed the matter will be resolved by the International Court of Justice. Somalia is committed to maintaining a good relationship with Kenya. The Somali community continues to invest in the country of Kenya which indeed contributes to its growth and prosperity,” President Farmajo said. There had been questions as to whether the two countries would agree to an out-of-court settlement following the Wednesday meeting between Uhuru and President Farmaajo.

The meeting was convened by Egyptian President Al-Sisi, who is the current African Union chairman. Uhuru had on Wednesday appealed for negotiations, saying, “My administration continues to reach out to the Federal Republic of Somalia in an effort to find an amicable and sustainable solution to the maritime boundary dispute between us. In this regard, I welcome the decision of the African Union Peace and Security Council of September 3, 2019 that urges both parties to engage.”

The Hague-based ICJ is set to enter full hearing of the case between November 4 and 8.