Somalia, Kenya hold talks for first time since ICJ verdict

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Somalia, Kenya hold talks for first time since ICJ verdict

Mogadishu (HORN OBSERVER) – Somalia and Kenya have agreed to build on the Joint Commission for Cooperation following a meeting between Somalia's Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Mohamed Abdirizak Mohamud and Kenya&

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Mogadishu (HORN OBSERVER) – Somalia and Kenya have agreed to build on the Joint Commission for Cooperation following a meeting between Somalia's Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Mohamed Abdirizak Mohamud and Kenya's Ambassador to Somalia Lucas Tumbo in Mogadishu.

The talks between the officials from both sides comes barely two weeks after Kenya lost ICJ maritime border dispute with its neighbouring Somalia.

In a statement, Somali ministry for foreign affairs said both officials agreed to work on the process to build on the Joint Commission for Cooperation, which was agreed upon by Somalia's Prime Minister and Kenya's President during their meeting in August.

"The Foreign Ministers of Somalia and Kenya agreed, in their meeting in Mogadishu, to expedite the third session of the Joint Committee to move forward in areas of common interest, including trade, investment, security, defense, agriculture, tourism, and people-to-people relations," the statement reads in part

On 12th October. a fifteen-judge panel of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) rejected Kenya's claim that there had been an agreed maritime boundary with Somalia and ruled that the maritime border should run on equidistant or on a median line as suggested by Somalia.

The ICJ ruled that contrary to Kenya's assertations, there was never a formal agreement with Somalia regarding their maritime boundaries. Furthermore, Kenya did not consistently maintain its supposed boundary claim.

Somalia took Kenya to the UN court in 2014 over contested parts of the Indian Ocean believed to have rich natural oil and gas reserves after years of diplomatic efforts to resolve the dispute failed.

Regional blocs had earlier prevailed upon Kenya and Somalia to settle the maritime boundary dispute out of court in order to avert diplomatic fallout that would impact on peace and stability.