INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE
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Press Release
Unofficial
No. 2017/7
7 February 2017
Certain Activities carried out by Nicaragua in the Border Area (Costa Rica v. Nicaragua)
The Court fixes time-limits for the filing of written pleadings
on the question of compensation
THE HAGUE, 7 February 2017. By an Order dated 2 February 2017 in the case concerning
Certain Activities carried out by Nicaragua in the Border Area (Costa Rica v. Nicaragua), the
International Court of Justice (ICJ) has fixed 3 April 2017 and 2 June 2017 respectively as the
time-limits for the filing of a Memorial by Costa Rica on the sole question of the compensation due
for material damages caused by Nicaragua’s unlawful activities on Costa Rican territory, and for
the filing of a Counter-Memorial by Nicaragua on the same question.
The Court made the Order taking into account the agreement of the Parties. The subsequent
procedure has been reserved for further decision.
It is recalled that, in its Judgment of 16 December 2015 in the present case, the Court found
inter alia that Nicaragua had the obligation to compensate Costa Rica for material damages caused
by its unlawful activities on Costa Rican territory. According to the Court’s decision, failing
agreement between the Parties on this matter within 12 months from the date of the Judgment, the
question of compensation due to Costa Rica would, at the request of one of the Parties, be settled
by the Court. The Judgment also provided that the Court would determine the amount of
compensation on the basis of further written pleadings limited to this issue.
In a letter from its Co-Agent dated 16 January 2017, the Government of Costa Rica
requested the Court “to settle the question of the compensation due to Costa Rica for material
damages caused by Nicaragua’s unlawful activities”.
*
The full text of the Order of 2 February 2017 can be found in the case documents on the
Court’s website (under “Cases/Pending Cases”).
* - 2 -
History of the proceedings
For the history of the proceedings, please see paragraphs 113-127 of the Court’s 2015-2016
Annual Report (ref. A/71/4), which can be found on its website under “The Court/Annual Reports”.
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The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations.
It was established by the United Nations Charter in June 1945 and began its activities in
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The ICJ, a court open only to States for contentious proceedings, and to certain organs and
institutions of the United Nations system for advisory proceedings, should not be confused with the
other mostly criminal judicial institutions based in The Hague and adjacent areas, such as the
International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY, an ad hoc court created by the
Security Council), the International Criminal Court (ICC, the first permanent international criminal
court, established by treaty, which does not belong to the United Nations system), the Special
Tribunal for Lebanon (STL, an international judicial body with an independent legal personality,
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and composed of Lebanese and international judges), or the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA,
an independent institution which assists in the establishment of arbitral tribunals and facilitates
their work, in accordance with the Hague Convention of 1899).
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Information Department:
Mr. Andrey Poskakukhin, First Secretary of the Court, Head of Department (+31 (0)70 302 2336)
Mr. Boris Heim and Ms Joanne Moore, Information Officers (+31 (0)70 302 2337)
Mr. Avo Sevag Garabet, Associate Information Officer (+31 (0)70 302 2394)
Ms Genoveva Madurga, Administrative Assistant (+31 (0)70 302 2396)
Certain Activities Carried Out by Nicaragua in the Border Area (Costa Rica v. Nicaragua) - The Court fixes time-limits for the filing of written pleadings on the question of compensation