Two days after Kenya’s foreign minister said that Somalia had agreed to pursue arbitration outside the United Nation’s highest court to end the long-running border dispute linked to lucrative oil and gas reserves in the Indian Ocean, Somalia insists on legal case to resolve the matter.

Speaking at the parliament on Monday, Ms. Amina Mohamed said that Kenya has received a pledge from Somalia that it would withdraw its previous case it filed at the International Criminal Court and would seek outside court dispute resolution.

However, Somalia remains steadfast in its commitment to pursue its legal case to end the current disputes with the neighboring Kenya.

“Somalia would like to clarify and reiterate its commitment to the legal case and proceedings at the International Court of Justice in The Hague within the framework of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).” said a statement from Somalia’s foreign ministry Wednesday.

In the carefully worded short statement, Somalia reiterates that contrary to Kenya’s stand, the horn of Africa nation is still pursuing the legal case at the ICC.

“International investment, prosperity and the economic growth of Somalia and its neighbors depend on this issue being resolved and we stand firm by the legal case we put forward.” the statement further
stated.

Last year, Somalia’s government has taken Kenya to the ICC to end the border dispute, saying the dispute risks deterring multinational oil companies from exploring for oil and gas offshore East Africa.

Kenya recently identified eight new offshore exploration blocks available for licensing, and all but one of them are located in the contested area.

Somalia has said the dispute risks deterring multinational oil companies from exploring for oil and gas offshore East Africa, according to Kenya’s Business Daily newspaper.

Click here to read Somali Government’s Press Statement on this issue