ICJ delays maritime hearing case between Kenya and Somalia
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has postponed the hearing Somalia and Kenya’s long-running maritime dispute to 2021 for a third time following Kenya’s petition over CoronaVirus pandemic.
A letter sent by the court to both parties indicates that the hearing case delayed to 15 March 2021 due to the exceptional circumstances of the COVID 19 virus outbreak.
Somalia’s Deputy Prime Minister Mahdi Mohammed Gulaid told the BBC last week that his country objected to a new petition from Kenya asking to delay the hearing because of the virus outbreak.
According to Kenya documents sent to the International Court of Justice, the pandemic had wreaked havoc on its economy and its plans to defend itself.
On the other hand, Somalia currently blocked Kenyans khat export since the COVID 19 reported in Kenyans territory amid march this year.
In March 2021, the ICJ ordered to start the maritime case hearing and the court considers Kenyan government request application for the case.
On April 23, 2020, Somalia said that the ICJ received a petition from Kenya requesting of the hearing to be postponed since COVID 19 restricted the case participation.
May 1, 2020: Somalia’s Deputy Prime Minister Mahdi Mohamed said that Somalia has seen Kenya’s request to delay the maritime proceedings, for the third time.
May 1, 2020: The Court of Justice declared a letter received from Somalia stating that the federal government of Somalia opposed to the postponing of the maritime hearing and requesting a video conference to the hearing of the case.
May 7, 2020: In a letter sent by Deputy Prime Minister Mahdi Mohamed to Somalia, Kenya’s argument that it is good to stand before the court is weak and can be heard in the live streaming public.
May 19, 2020: ICJ announced the case between the two countries has been postponed to 15th March 2020 due to COVID 19 pandemic.
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