INTERNATIONAL COURTOFJUSTICE
Peace Palace, 2517 KJ The Hague. Tel.(31-70-302 23 23). Cables: Intercourt, The Hague.
Telefax (31-70-364 99 28). Telex 32323. Internet address: http: Il www.icj-cij.org
Communiqué
unofficial
forimmediaterelease
No. 98125
1 July 1998
Case concerning Land and Maritime Boundary
between Cameroon and Nigeria
(Cameroon v. Nigeria)
Nigeria to filitsCounter-Memorial by 31 March 1999
THE HAGUE, 1 July 1998. The International Court of Justice (ICJ), the principal judicial
• organ of the United Nations, fixed 31 March 1999 as the time-limit for the filing of
the Counter-Memorial ofNigeria in the case instituted against it by Cameroon conceming their land
and maritime boundary.
The decision follows the Judgmentof Il June- 1998 by which the Court declared that it bad
jurisdiction to deal with the meritsof the dispute and found that Cameroon's claims were
adrnissible. The time-liitwas fixed by an Order of 30 June 1998, after ascertaining the views of
the Parties. The subsequent procedure bas been reserved for further decision.·
The contentions proceedings before the Court consist of two parts: written and oral.
During the firstphase, written pleadings are exchanged. Inthe above-mentioned case, the Applicant
(Cameroon) bad already filed a Memorial on the merits before the Respondent (Nigeria) challenged
the Court's jurisdiction. Taking into account the Judgment of Il June 1998, the Court bad to fix
a time-limit for the filing of a Counter-Memorial by Nigeria. The Court may authorize a Reply by
the Applicant and a Rejoinder by the Respondent.on the closure of the written pleadings, public
sittings are organized. The Court then delivers a Judgment on the merits.
Hi stacyof the dispute
On 29 March 1994, Cameroon filed an application instituting proceedings against Nigeria in
a dispute conceming the question of sovereignty over the Bakassi Peninsula, which it claimed was
in part militarily occupied by Nigeria, and requested the Court to determine the course of the
maritime frontier between the two States so far as that frontier had not already been established
by the Maroua Declaration signed by the Cameroonian and Nigerian Heads of State in 1975.
As a basis for the jurisdictionthe Court, Carneroon referred to the declarations made by
bath States by which they accept that jurisdictioncompulsory (Article 36, paragraph 2, of the
Statuteof the Court).
In an additional application filed on 6 June 1994, Cameroon extended the case to a further
dispute with Nigeria overa part of the territory of Cameroon in the area of Lake Chad", which it
claimed was also occupied by Nigeria. Cameroon asked the Court to speci:fy definitively the
frontier between itself and Nigeria from Lake Chadthe sea, to enjoin the withdrawal ofNigerian
troops from Cameroonian territory andto determine reparation for the material and non-material
damage inflicted. - 2-
On 13 December 1995, Nigeria raised preliminary objections ta thejurisdiction of the Court
and to the admissibilityof Cameroon's claims. The proceedings on the merits were accordingly
suspended, by virtue of Article 79, paragraph 3, of the Rules of the Court. By an Order
of 10 January 1996,the theo President of the Court, Judge Mohammed Bedjaoui, taking into
account the views expressed by the Parties, fixed 15 May 1996 as the time-limit within which
Cameroon had to present a written statementfits observations and submissions on the preliminary
objections raised by Nigeria.That statement was filed withîn the prescribed time-Iimit.
On 12 February 1996, Cameroon requested the Court to indicate provisional measures after
"serious armed incidents" bad taken place between Cameroonian and Nigerian forcesnthe Bakassi
Peninsula. Public hearings were held between 5and 8March 1996, and on 15 March 1996, the
Court deliveredan Order indîcating that "bath Parties should ensure that no action of any kind, and
particularlyno action by their armed forces, is taken which might prejudice the rights of the ether
in respect of whatever judgment the Court may render in the case, or which might aggravate or
extend the dispute beforeit". The ICJ also ruled that they "should observe the agreement reached
between the Ministersof Foreign Affairs in Kara, Togo, on 17 February1996,for the cessation of
ali hostilities in the Bakassi Peninsula".
In a Judgment of 11June 1998, the Court rejected seven preliminary objections raised by
Nigeria and declared that an eighth one would have to be settled during the proceedings on the
merits. lt also asserted that it hadjurisdiction in the case and found Cameroon's claims admissible.
Website oftbe Court: bttp:/lwww.icj-cij.org
Information Office:
Mr. Arthur Witteveen, Secretary of the Court (tel: 31-70-302 2336)
Mrs. Laurence Biairon, Information Officer (tel: 31-70-302 2337)
•
Land and Maritime Boundary between Cameroon and Nigeria (Cameroon v. Nigeria) - Nigeria to file its Counter-Memorial by 31 March 1999