Kenya-Somalia Border Dispute Hearing Postponed By ICJ ¶
On 21 May 2020, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) announced that it would postpone a hearing into Somalia and Kenya's long-running maritime dispute by 10 months.
The dispute centers on an area in the Indian Ocean that is believed to be rich in oil and gas, with both countries claiming sovereignty over the region.
Kenya had petitioned the ICJ to delay the hearing, citing the exceptional circumstances of the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on the country's economy and plans to defend itself.
However, Somalia's Deputy Prime Minister Mahdi Mohammed Gulaid objected to the delay, stating that his country was not happy with the court's decision but would adhere to it.
The hearing, originally scheduled for early June, has been rescheduled for 15 March 2021.
