Somalia President applauds ICJ over the maritime case

Somalia President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo has reacted to the United Nations’ top court awarding Somalia control of most of a potentially oil- and gas-rich chunk of the Indian Ocean after a bitter legal battle with neighbouring Kenya over their sea border.

He stated that this is not a victory to an individual, political party or group but it is a victory to all Somali communities. He added Somalia Government accepts the Court’s decision, and has urged Kenya to do the same.

The President blasted the Kenyan government for years of political interference aimed at disrupting the case. He said that it was “indisputable” that Kenya applied pressure directly to the Federal Member States to destabilize Somalia, citing Kenya’s involvement in Jubaland’s recent elections.

The maritime case has been on the debate between the two countries for the last years which periodically resulted in diplomatic earthquakes and analysts believe the court ruling may restore the diplomatic crisis between the two countries.