NAIROBI (HORN OBSERVER) - Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta Wednesday rejected a ruling by the International Court of Justice that gave Somalia a large chunk of territory in a maritime border dispute.
Kenya said it is profoundly concerned by the impact of the decision and its implications for the Horn of Africa region, and international law generally.

"At the outset, Kenya wishes to indicate that it rejects in totality and does not recognize the findings in the decision,” Kenyatta said in a statement.


Meanwhile, Somali president Farmaajo welcomed the rule of UN's top court in a bitter border dispute between Somalia and Kenya, urging the leaders of Kenya to "respect the international rule of law."

In a televised speech following the ruling, Farmaajo, said Nairobi should "see the decision of the court as an opportunity to strengthen the relationship of the two countries".


On Tuesday, ICJ ruled largely in favour of Somalia in its dispute with Kenya, setting a sea boundary in part of the Indian Ocean believed to be rich in oil and gas.

In a lengthy judgment made at The Hague, the Court rejected Kenya’s boundary delimitation method and virtually all claims it presented at the UN court.