All efforts by Kenya to resolve the maritime boundary dispute with Somalia out of court have failed, with Somalia President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo telling the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Thursday that there was no room for dialogue.
The announcement, made during his inaugural speech at the forum, came as a damper on the efforts of President Uhuru Kenyatta, who had told the conference that Kenya is seeking a diplomatic solution to the boundary row.
There had been hope when Presidents Kenyatta and Farmajo earlier held a meeting mediated by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi – the current African Union chairman – but the Somalia leader was categorical that the dispute would not be on the table.
HEARINGS
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) will now have to resolve the matter. Public hearings on the case filed by Somalia will run from November 4-8.
“We are very pleased that the court found that it had jurisdiction to resolve the dispute and that is scheduled for the final hearing for the merit case in November this year,” President Farmajo said.
“We trust that when that judgment will be issued and the boundary established, a lasting settlement of this long-lasting dispute will finally be achieved. We will abide by the court ruling.”
Mogadishu has shut the door on Kenya’s push to have the African Union broker the negotiations, with President Farmajo saying the talks between the two countries had completely collapsed.
