Kenya and Somalia remained deadlocked on their territorial conflict during a March 2019 meeting mediated by Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, with Mogadishu insisting on International Court of Justice (ICJ) adjudication rather than an amicable resolution.
A Somali diplomatic source revealed that Mogadishu would defer to the ICJ's ruling on the maritime boundary dispute, rejecting Kenya's push for an out-of-court agreement based on a mutually accepted map. The closed-door discussions at Nairobi's State House produced no joint statement, underscoring unresolved tensions.
The meeting aimed to mend relations after Kenya recalled its ambassador to Somalia in February 2019 following Mogadishu's decision to auction offshore oil and gas blocks in the contested Indian Ocean area. Somalia's 2014 ICJ petition over the 100,000-square-kilometer maritime zone remains pending.
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and Somali leader Mohamed Farmaajo agreed to restart diplomatic engagement through ambassadorial returns during the talks. Farmaajo's spokesperson confirmed the leaders' commitment to strengthening bilateral ties, though the core dispute over maritime boundaries persists.
Kenya objected to Somalia's auction of blocks in what it claims as its territorial waters. The two nations continue collaborative efforts against Al-Shabaab militants despite the border tensions.
