Nairobi (SD) – The Kenyan government is once again trying to postpone a hearing on the Somali Maritimes case before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), according to new documents sent by Kenya.

This has sparked a new rift between the two countries, as Somalia strongly opposes Kenya’s renewed desire not to face the court.

The hearing was scheduled to take place in early June, but Kenya has asked the court to postpone it for an undisclosed date.

Kenya has used the global spread of Coronavirus as an excuse, saying it has had a strong impact on the lawyers representing them in the case, saying it was imposible for them to prepare.

The Kenyan government also pointed to the financial difficulties the world is going through, due to COVID-19 as a hindrance.

Somalia has rejected Kenya’s arguments, according to a document it also sent to the court, accusing Kenya of never wanting to have the case resolved at the court.

Somalia has asked the court to listen the case virtually, as many international courts are doing these days.

The ICJ on September 5th, 2019, granted a Kenyan request to postpone the case, and at that time, the court pledged it would not postpone the proceedings again.

The court is expected to announce its decision in the coming days whether or not the case will be heard on its scheduled date of June 8 to 12, 2020.