ICJ releases schedule for maritime border case between Kenya and Somalia

HAGUE - The International Court of Justice [ICJ] has released a schedule for the hearing of the Indian Ocean maritime border case involving Kenya and Somalia, which is set to commence on Monday 15, 2021 at The Hague in the Netherlands, after months of postponement.

According to the schedule, the case will run for six days until Wednesday, March 24, with each party given ample time to argue out their stand. Somalia will be the first to argue that case for two days in a row, given that it's the complainant in the matter.

Thereafter, Kenya will get a chance to defend herself for another two consecutive days. In the final processes, both countries will get a day each for final submissions, in case that has strained relations between the two nations.

"The International Court of Justice, the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, will hold public hearings in the case concerning Maritime Delimitation in the Indian Ocean [Somalia v. Kenya] from Monday 15 to Wednesday 24 March 2021, at the Peace Palace in The Hague, the seat of the Court," reads the dispatch from ICJ.

In view of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the hearings will be held in a hybrid format. The COVID-19 pandemic informed Kenya's decision to call for the postponement but the ICJ refused to grant the quest early this year, having postponed the case thrice before.

"Some members of the Court will attend the oral proceedings in person in the Great Hall of Justice while others will participate remotely by video link. Representatives of the Parties to the case will participate either in person or by video link," ICJ said.

"Guidelines for the Parties on the organization of hearings by video link can be found on the Court’s website. Members of the diplomatic corps, the media, and the public will be able to follow the hearings through a live webcast on the Court’s website, as well as on UN Web TV, the United Nations online television," it added.

Somalia and Kenya are wrangling over the oil-rich maritime boundary but efforts to have the matter settled out of court failed to materialize. Both countries are optimistic of possible victories in the International Court of Justice.

GAROWE ONLINE