The ICJ rules in favour of Colombia against Nicaragua in a decade long dispute

In a judgment delivered on 13 July 2023, the Cour internationale de Justice (CIJ) ruled in favor of Colombia in a dispute with Nicaragua thus ending a decade-long case. Colombia was represented by the International Litigation and Arbitration Sygna Partners Department's, Prof. Jean-Marc Thouvenin and Mr. Andrés Villegas.

This decision constitutes a milestone in international law, and is historic for substantive and procedural reasons. In short, Nicaragua claimed that its alleged continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles could encroach Colombia’s EEZ with its appurtenant Continental Shelf.

By an ample majority, the Court accepted Colombia’s arguments and concluded that under customary international law, a State’s continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles cannot extend or encroach maritime areas within 200 nautical miles of another State’s baselines. The Court dismissed all of Nicaragua’s submissions.

The decision is available here : https://www.icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/case-related/154/154-20230713-jud-01-00-en.pdf