MARITIME BORDER DISPUTE BETWEEN KENYA AND SOMALIA IN THE INDIAN OCEAN

MARITIME BORDER DISPUTE BETWEEN KENYA AND SOMALIA IN THE INDIAN OCEAN

Among the recent cases adjudicated before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the maritime dispute between Kenya and Somalia exhibited in the Indian Ocean is among the forefront one. Though there are several studies dealing with the case at hand, the decision of the aforenamed court has not been comprehensively reviewed. Therefore, having the ICJ’s decision, which was rendered on 12 October 2021, this Article exhaustively reviews – not only Somalia’s claim and Kenya’s submission, – but also ICJ’s ruling and decision on major disputed issues. Moreover, the Article provides some scholars critiques attributed to the latter ICJ’s decision.

___

  • Anna, C., & Barise, H. (2021). "International court backs Somalia in sea dispute with Kenya." APNews, https://apnews.com/article/business-international-court-of-justice-kenya-united-nations-somalia-873f5ef84edaf425a24c278153b45cd8 [08 April 2023].
  • Bekker, P., Schofield, C., & van de Poll, R. (2022). “Transparency and Predictability in the Maritime Delimitation Process: Reverse-engineering the Somalia-Kenya Adjudicated Boundary.” The International Journal of Marine and Coastal Law, 37(3), 413-457. doi:https://doi.org/10.1163/15718085-bja10104 [Accessed on 08 April 2023].
  • Bryant, L. (2021). "UN Court Opens Maritime Dispute Hearing Without Kenya." VOANews. https://www.voanews.com/a/africa_un-court-opens-maritime-dispute-hearing-without-kenya/6203336.html [Accessed on 08 April 2023].
  • Convention on the Law of the Sea, adopted by the UN on 10 December 1982. https://treaties.un.org/pages/ViewDetailsIII.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=XXI-6&chapter=21&Temp=mtdsg3&clang=_en [Accessed 05 January 2023].
  • Gunawan, Y., Salim, A. A., Asirwadana, E., & Prasetyo, S. B. (2021). “Perspective of International Law on Maritime Territorial Dispute: Case Between Kenya and Somalia,” Jurnal Hukum UNISSULA, 2021, Vol 37, No 2, p. 69-84. http://jurnal.unissula.ac.id/index.php/jurnalhukum/article/view/16241/6123 [Accessed 11 May 2022].
  • ICJ (2021). “Maritime delimitation in the Indian ocean (Somalia vs. Kenya).” https://www.icj-cij.org/public/files/case-related/161/161-20211012-JUD-01-00-EN.pdf [Accessed 17 March 2022].
  • "ICJ rules in favour of Somalia in Kenya border dispute." (2021). Africanews, https://www.africanews.com/2021/10/12/icj-rules-in-favour-of-somalia-in-kenya-border-dispute/ [Accessed on 08 April 2023].
  • Loannides, N. A., & Yiallourides, C. (2021). “A Commentary on the Dispute Concerning the Maritime Delimitation in the Indian Ocean (Somalia v Kenya),” EJIL: Talk: blog of the European Journal of International Law. https://www.ejiltalk.org/a-commentary-on-the-dispute-concerning-the-maritime-delimitation-in-the-indian-ocean-somalia-v-kenya/ [Accessed 19 April 2022].
  • Sabala, K. (2021). “Kenya v. Somalia Maritime Dispute: ICJ Judgement and Implications for Kenya vs. Somalia Relations,” The HORN Bulletin, Vol. IV, Issue VI, p. 1-46. https://horninstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/HORN-Bulletin-Vol-IV-%E2%80%A2-Iss-VI-%E2%80%A2-November-December-2021-1.pdf [Accessed 19 April 2022].
  • Schofield, C., Bekker, P., & de Poll, R. V. (2021) “The world court fixes the Somalia-Kenya maritime boundary: Technical considerations and legal consequences,” ASIL Insights, Vol. 25, No. 25, p. 1-7. https://www.asil.org/sites/default/files/ASIL_Insights_2021_V25_I25_0.pdf [Accessed 16 May 2022].
  • Sharmarke, O. A. A. (2009). “Letter of the Prime Minister to the Secretary General of the UN,” The Transitional Federal Government of The Somalia Republic Office of The Prime Minster. https://www.un.org/depts/los/clcs_new/submissions_files/ken35_09/som_re_ken_clcs35.pdf [Accessed 9 March 2022].
  • Sovereign Limits, https://sovereignlimits.com/boundaries/kenya-somalia-land [Accessed 26 April 2022].
  • Wasike, A., & Mukami, M. (2021). "UN court largely sides with Somalia in sea border dispute with Kenya." Anadolu Agency, https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/un-court-largely-sides-with-somalia-in-sea-border-dispute-with-kenya/2390266# [Accessed on 08 April 2023].