Kenya gives Ultimatum to Somali Goverment

[bashe19]

Kenya gives terms to resolve ocean dispute




Monday February 18, 2019



Kenya has issued three conditions for a diplomatic resolution to the maritime dispute with neighbouring Somalia.

Nairobi wants Mogadishu to immediately withdraw a map, which was displayed at an economic forum in the United Kingdom, claiming part of Kenya’s territory.

Kenya has also demanded that Somali authorities inform those who bought oil and gas blocks at the London auction that the Horn of Africa nation doesn’t own the area.

Thirdly, Kenya wants a maritime discussion between the two nations to arrive at an amicable solution outside the international court.



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Yesterday, Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Macharia Kamau said Kenya expected the three conditions to be met as a pre-condition for restoring diplomatic relations with Somalia, which it severed on Saturday.

However, the Somali government yesterday denied any selling any oil or gas blocks as claimed.

“Somali is not now offering , nor does it have any plans to offer, any blocks in the disputed maritime area until the parties maritime boundary is decided by the ICJ,” read a letter from Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation to the Kenyan Foreign Affairs ministry.

On Saturday the row over a maritime territorial area in the Indian Ocean between Kenya and Somalia escalated after Nairobi decided to cut diplomatic relations with Mogadishu over a claim that the latter had auctioned oil blocks located in a disputed border area.

Ambassador Macharia confirmed to The Standard that Kenya’s envoy, Lt Gen (Rtd) Lucas Tumbo, had arrived in Nairobi on Saturday evening. Somali Ambassador to Kenya Mohamed Nur also returned to Mogadishu on Sunday as ordered by Nairobi.

Macharia said Kenya was disappointed that Mogadishu went to London to auction the blocks even before a dispute over the oil blocks, which is at the International Court of Justice is determined.

“In diplomacy you don’t assume failure but success. We are hoping that our friends will act. We don’t have timelines to expect the response,” Macharia said when asked of Nairobi’s expectations.

Dangerous environment

There are also fears that following the move, Kenyan troops operating in Somali may be endangered or unwanted. The PS, however, sought to allay the fears.

“Our troops have been working in a dangerous environment and they know how to protect themselves. However, our troops are not in Somali as Kenya Defense Forces deployed by Kenya but working under Amisom.

Asked if Nairobi will consider withdrawing its troops in protest if Mogadishu does not budge, the PS said; “We will cross the bridge when we get there. Let’s wait for now.”

The Government also said the development should provide an avenue for Somalia to seek an out-of-court settlement on the dispute.

Good neighbours

“Our wish as good neighbours is that we resolve this thing out of court. Friends don’t take each to court; they sit down and discuss. That’s what we expect of Somalia,” Macharia said, adding that President Uhuru Kenyatta was fully briefed on the developments.

Yesterday, Somali opposition leaders led by Senator Ilyas Ali Hassan, who is a key ally of former President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed, downplayed the fallout between the two countries and expressed optimism that the misunderstanding will be resolved.

In an interview with The Standard, Mr Hassan said the Government did not seek the approval of the Upper House (Senate) before auctioning the oil blocks.

[original dervish]

The key point to take from this article is that the Kenyans want an out of court settlement......I wonder why?

[bashe19]

Thirdly, Kenya wants a maritime discussion between the two nations to arrive at an amicable solution outside the international court.




They begs one block A9 near Kismaayo, thats all what they want, qaxooti baan idiin haynaa iyo wadankaan idiin xoreynay dam damtaa oo idil waa been inay baryootamaan bay rabaan, sababtoo ah dacwada badda they are aware for sure they will loose.

[original dervish]

The Norwegians have explored these blocks and have probably advised them that A9 contains billions of barrels of oil.

We should ban Norway from bidding on any of these offshore blocks.
Ps the PM is their man though.

[gobdoon]

The Norwegians have explored these blocks and have probably advised them that A9 contains billions of barrels of oil.

We should ban Norway from bidding on any of these offshore blocks.
Ps the PM is their man though.

This needs to be looked into remember it was Norway company who put this stupid idea on their head of claiming a Somali territory
The PM needs to come clean of any involvment and if there is one should withdraw as there is conflict of intrest

[Jabuutawi]

Why is Kenya not want to go to an arbitration at the ICJ? Every time I read about their concerns it wants both countries to sit at a table without international overseers. They know they would lose if an impartial third-party was involved. I said this few years ago, on here as well, that Kenya will lose this case. Though not official (yet), I still believe they will lose at the Hague.

A different take: I was surprised by UAE getting in some sort of legal binding with Somaliland without its own right as a sovereign state to establish a port in Barbera. That would have been unprecedented effort by UAE. Lest UN sanctioning of the deal or permanent UN Reps., China, Russia, USA, etc., giving tacit approval, it was DOA, dead on arrival, to begin with.

[original dervish]

As long as the world is governed by a rules based system Kenya and s/l will lose their respective battles with the Somali govt.

[Cunaaye25]

Forget out of court settlement - you cannot buy out 20 millions somali.

Not only we will get NFD back, we will surely burn to the ground Nairobi -
Bantu Fufuf Mothfuck**ers

Slowly and surely Somalia is coming back- can't wait till the day, we will march towards to Nairobi.