There are very few States in the world that demand to extend their continental shelf, from their beaches and 200 miles further into the sea, and Nicaragua was one of those to this day. But lost. The International Court of Justice has denied Nicaragua’s request, a legal process the Central American country started in 2013, to extend its continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles despite the fact that that extension overlapped with Colombia’s economic zone.
“The Court concludes that the continental shelf that overlaps another State cannot be extended,” said Joan Donoghue, president of the ICJ, from The Hague. The decision in court, by vote, was 13 to 4 in favor of Colombia. The ICJ says that the Colombian islands of San Andrés and Providencia, in the Caribbean Sea and in the middle of the dispute between the two countries, would be affected by said extension of Nicaragua and this archipelago has the right to the territorial sea and an exclusive economic zone .
“Great victory for Colombia. Congratulations to Foreign Minister Holguin and to all those who made this great legal diplomatic achievement possible for our country in The Hague,” former President Juan Manuel Santos, who governed Colombia from 2010 to 2018 and was the president who was charge of the legal strategy when Nicaragua requested this extension. Two previous rulings had been more in favor of Nicaragua, recognizing a greater maritime extension and its right to control fishing and other activities in its area of influence, but leaving the sovereignty of San Andrés y Providencia in the hands of Colombia.
“With this ruling we hope to close the border controversy and focus on bringing sustainable development to our archipelago,” President Gustavo Petro wrote on his Twitter account celebrating the ICJ decision. Former President Iván Duque, who ruled from 2018 to 2022, also spoke on his social networks. “Colombia has defended its sovereignty despite having withdrawn from the jurisdiction of the ICJ, after its unfair ruling in 2012,” Duque wrote in his Twitter account about the 2012 decision that recognized a greater maritime extension for the Central American country. The decision to retire, in 2012, was made by former President Santos. “Colombia won today, but the position of the inapplicability of the 2012 ruling must be maintained. The boundaries of the homeland can only be changed by a treaty ratified by Congress. You should not give up a millimeter of territory, ”Duque added in his message.
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