THE HAGUE (Halbeeg News) – The International Court of Justice has rejected Kenya’s request to have its maritime dispute with Somalia postponed for a 4th time.
In a letter addressed to both Somalia and Kenya, the court said the hearings of the case would proceed as scheduled starting March 15 in a hybrid format.
“Having duly considered the arguments presented by the parties, the court has decided to maintain the hearings as scheduled, starting March 15,” the letters reads in part.
The court said as already explained to the two parties during a technical meeting on Jan 26, there is a possibility for a limited number of representatives of the parties to appear in person in the Great Hall of Justice.
The other representatives will make their oral presentations through a video link.
Kenya had on January 28 applied for a third delay of the case citing the COVID19 pandemic, absence of a ‘substantive government’ in Somalia and ‘mysterious disappearance’ of a map it intended to use in its defense.
Information Minister Osman Dubbe said this week Somalia had written to the UN court objecting a further delay of the case.
“We have rejected Kenya’s fourth request to the ICJ to postpone the two countries’ maritime case,” Dubbe said.
Kenya has since made three applications seeking the postponement of the case.
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