Boundary feud shows Somalia thankless – AG

Kenya yesterday said Somalia’s referral of their maritime boundary dispute to an international court is aggressive and disregards 25 years of generosity toward refugees.

In a statement to newsrooms, Attorney General Githu Muigai said the two countries had agreed to let the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf determine the maritime boundary.

However, Somalia has decided to disregard the agreement without justification, he said.

On August 28 last year, Somalia filed a complaint at the International Court of Justice against Kenya over their maritime border.

Somalia accused Kenya of encroaching on her ocean territory due to lack of clear sea boundaries.

“The Republic of Kenya today submitted its Preliminary Objections against Somalia’s case,” the statement reads.

“Kenya’s contention is that Somalia’s case falls outside the jurisdiction of the Court and is inadmissible because it is contrary to Somalia’s international obligations”.

Somalia, to the north of Kenya, wants the maritime border to drop along the line of the land border diagonally to the southeast.

Kenya insists on a straight line to the east.

At the centre of the dispute are potential offshore oil and gas reserves.

“The least Kenya can expect from Somalia is that it will honour its bilateral agreements,” the AG said.

Somalia’s case is invalid and Kenya is confident the court will agree with its submission, he said.