The Kenyan government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has said that it will not recognize the ruling by the International Court of Justice on the Maritime boarder row with Somalia.
According to the ministry, the entire process was flawed and because of that Kenya has had reservations which led to its withdrawal from the court.
“For these reasons, and in addition to withdrawing its participation in the current case, Kenya on the 24th September, 2021, also joined many others members of the United Nations in withdrawing its recognition of the Court’s compulsory jurisdiction"
“As a sovereign nation, Kenya shall no longer be subjected to an international court or tribunal without its express consent.” read part of the statement.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs added that Kenya recognizes and has always indicated that whichever way the court rules, there will be political, security, social and economic ramifications in the region.
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The statement comes a few days to the day ICJ is expected to delivering its ruling, on Tuesday, October 12th, 2021.
File image of President Uhuru Kenyatta and Somali President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmaajo. |Photo| Courtesy|
In March 2021, Kenya announced that it had withdrawn from the international maritime border dispute with Somalia in protest, citing bias and unwillingness by the court to delay proceedings due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Kenya in a letter to the International Court of Justice withdrew from the hearing which was scheduled for March 15, 2021.
"Kenya wishes to inform the court through the registrar that it shall not be participating in the hearing of the case herein, should the same proceed from March 15, 2021, as presently scheduled," the letter by Attorney General Kihara Kariuki read in part.
Somalia in 2014 filed a case at the ICJ claiming ownership of territorial waters that have for long been part of Kenya.
