Tuesday October 12, 2021
Mogadishu (HOL) - Somalia says that it is confident that it will prevail in its maritime dispute against Kenya at the International Court of Justice.
Somalia's Attorney General Suleiman Mohamed Mohamud, who leads the Somali government delegation to The Hague, said that the victory would be a perfect gift to commemorate National Flag Day in Somalia.
"Twelve years ago today, 67 years ago, the Somali flag was hoisted. Also, today, October 12th, we are proud to secure our maritime rights. It is a lasting victory and independence for the Somali community," the prosecutor said in a statement posted on his Twitter account.
"I am optimistic that we will succeed, God willing."
Kenya declined to send a delegation to the court for the verdict. Kenya's foreign office said it notified the court last week that it has withdrawn its automatic recognition of the court's jurisdiction. The withdrawal does not affect Tuesday's decision as it cannot be applied retroactively.
The maritime dispute between Somalia and Kenya has led to a diplomatic fallout between the two countries that has not been seen for decades. Kenya, a major troop contributor to AMISOM, has leveraged its involvement in the peacekeeping operation in an attempt to arm-twist Somalia into an out-of-court settlement.
Judge Joan Donoghue (US) will lead the 15-member bench to hand down the verdict at the Peace Palace in The Hague at 3:00 GMT. Preliminary exploration has suggested that the 100,000-square-kilometre (38,000-square-mile) triangle of water is rich in hydrocarbons and fish. Somalia has said that exploiting its natural resources is critical to kickstarting its economic recovery plan.