MOGADISHU (Halbeeg News) – Somalia has responded to Kenya’s allegations saying it did not infringe on the disputed maritime boundary barely a day after Kenya accused Somalia of “auctioning oil blocks in the area”.
In a statement on Sunday by Somali Ministry for Affairs, Somalia dispelled allegations raised by Kenyan ministry for Foreign Affairs noting alleged auctioning of oil blocks belonging to Kenya.
The ministry expressed concerns over the accusation levelled against Somalia.
“The government of Somalia regrets recent statements made by the government of Kenya alleging that government of Somalia is proffering to bid any blocks in Kenya’s potential maritime zones to external bidders,” the statement reads in part.
The ministry said it had not auctioned any blocks in the disputed maritime blocks and it does not plan to.
“Somalia is not offering nor does it have any plans to offer any blocks in the disputed maritime area until the parties’ maritime boundary decided by the ICJ,” the ministry said.
Somalia assured that it would continue to cooperate with the court in deciding the dispute,
“The government of Somalia wishes to reassure the government of Kenya it stands by its commitment not to undertake any unilateral activities in the disputed area until such time as ICJ renders it judgment,” the statement affirmed.
The development comes at a diplomatic time row between Somalia and Kenya over oil and gas blocks in disputed territorial areas escalates.
On Saturday, Kenya summoned its summoned its Somalia ambassador, General Lucas Tumbo for urgent consultation over alleged “oil auctioning by the Somali government.”
The Permanent Secretary of Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Ministry, Macharia Kamau accused Somalia of auctioning of oil blocs belonging to Kenya.
“This unparalleled affront and illegal grab at the resources of Kenya will not go unanswered and is tantamount to an act of aggression against the people of Kenya and their resources, ” the PS said.
“This outrageous and provocative auction deserves and will be met with a unanimous and resounding rejection by all Kenyans as well as all people of goodwill who believe in the maintenance of international law and order and the peaceful and legal resolution of disputes.”
Kenya and Somalia had had a protracted dispute over a maritime boundary which escalated in 2014 when Somalia sued Kenya at the International Court of Justice.
Late 2017, Somalia won its first bid to resolve a case over a maritime dispute before the ICJ.
Judges at the ICJ dismissed claims fronted by Kenya’s lawyers that there exists an alternative method of resolving the matter.
Somalia wants the court to demarcate the maritime boundary, and to determine the exact geographical coordinates as an extension of its southern borders.
Kenya, on the other hand, wants the border to run in parallel along the line of latitude on its eastern border. That gives Kenya a larger share of the maritime area, and it had already sold mining licenses to international companies.
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