Somalia's team heads to The Hague ahead of maritime showdown with Kenya

MOGADISHU, Somalia - A high-level delegation from Somalia has embarked on a trip to The Hague ahead of the maritime border case with neighboring Kenya, which is set to kick off from Monday 15, 2021 at the International Court of Justice [ICJ].

The team under the outgoing Deputy Prime Minister Mahdi Guled left Aden Abdulle International Airport on Monday morning for the Hague trip, just a week before the official commencement of the case, which has significantly affected the relationship between the two nations.

Accompanying the Deputy Prime Minister are Attorney General Suleiman Mohamud, his predecessor Ahmed Dahir and Somalia’s ambassador to the Horn and Red Sea region ambassador Yusuf Garad. The team has previously played a role in pushing for prosecution of the case.

About three times, the court has postponed the case following requests by Kenya, which were informed by the covid-19 pandemic and reconstitution of the legal team. However, the most recent request was turned down, with the court insisting that the case will go on from Monday 15 at 3 pm local time in the Netherlands.

Guled told journalists before departing that he was confident Somalia will win the case against Kenya. The International Court of Justice announced last week the oral proceedings will kick off on March 15. Part of the proceedings will be in-person at the court while part of it will be through video conference in light of the ongoing COVID19 pandemic.

Kenya had indicated that it's ready to face the court after it refused to give a postponement. The delegation by Kenya will be led by Attorney General Kihara Kariuki and Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Kamau Macharia along with some seasoned international lawyers.

Reports indicate that Somalia will be represented by a battery of lawyers drawn from the US, UK, and France. The first in the team is Paul Richler, an international lawyer, based in Washington, D.C. He graduated from Harvard Law School, J.D., cum laude 1973 and Tufts University, B.A. 1969.

Prof. Philippe Sands, a 58-year-old lawyer who graduated from Harvard, University College London, and other universities in Canada, U.S, France, and Australia will be part of the team. Also on the list is Professor Alain Pellet, a 72-year-old French lawyer who teaches at Université de Paris Ouest – Nanterre La Défense, who is also an adviser to the French government.

The two countries are embroiled in a bitter Indian Ocean maritime border dispute which started in 2014. Efforts to have an out-of-court settlement stalled after Somalia insisted that the case will be better if solved in a court of law, arguing that Kenya was keen to derail the process.

GAROWE ONLINE