Somali prime minister Mohamed Hussein Roble has reaffirmed that government will never negotiate with Kenya over maritime dispute case between the countries.
During a meeting with Somali community in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, PM Roble has ruled out that he came to Nairobi to discuss with Kenyan leaders over marital dispute.
“I didn’t come to Kenya to sign agreements, or discuss the maritime case,” the PM said.
Roble reaffirmed inviolability of the territorial integrity of Somalia saying he explicitly told President Uhuru Kenyatta the maritime case before the ICJ is “untouchable”.
Prime minister Roble is in Kenya for officials after received invitation from President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Kenya and Somalia agreed to reset their bilateral relations after a meeting between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Prime Minister Roble.
Somalia and Kenya are seeking a resolution on the ownership of a 150,000 square-kilometer (58,000 square-mile) area off their Indian Ocean coastline, which both countries want to explore for oil, gas and fish.
In 2014, Somalia went to court to challenge a 2009 agreement that set its maritime border along latitudinal lines extending 450 nautical miles into the sea.
The court has concluded the hearing of the case early this year and is expected announce its ruling in the forthcoming months.
The court verdict is final and not subject to appeal.
