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 32323.1nternet address: http: Il www.icj-cij.org
Communiqué
unofficial
forimmediaterelease
No. 98/3
23 February1998
Case concerning Land and Maritime Boundary between Cameroon and Nigeria
(Cameroon v. Nigeria)
Hearings to open on 2 March on the issue of the jurisdiction of the Court
and the 3dmissibility of Cameroon's daims
THE HAGUE, 23 February 1998. The hearings inthe case conceming Land and Maritime
• Boundazy hetween Cameroon and Nigeria will open on Monday 2 March 1998 at 10 a.m. before
the International Court of Justice (ICJ). the principal judicial organ of the United Nations.
The hearings. which will lastl Wednesday 11 March 1998, will be exclusively dedicated
to the oral arguments of the Parties conceming certain preliminary objections raised by Nigeria.
Nigeria contends that the Court bas no jurisdiction in the matter and that the claims of Cameroon
are not admissible. It maintains inter alja that f24 years bath States have accepted a duty
to sertie ali boundary questions through existing bilateral machinery.
Pursuant to Artic':9of its Rules. the Court bas to decide on preliminary objections before
proceeding to the merits of the case.
The programme of the hearings (which will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.) is the
following:
First round of pJeadings Second round of pleadings
Monday 2 March: Nigeria Monday 9 March: Nigeria
Tuesday 3 March: Nigeria Wednesday li March: Cameroon
Thursday 5~arch: Cameroon
Friday 6 March: Cameroon
The delegation from Nigeria will be led by H.E. Mr. Alhaji Ahdullahi Ibrahim,
Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, agent, and the delegation from Cameroon by
H.E. Mr. Laurent Esso, Minister of Justice and Keeper of the Seals, agent.
Histocyof 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 requesting the Court to determine the course of the
maritime frontîer between the two States in so far as that frontier bad not already been established
by the Maroua Declaration signed by the Cameroonian and Nigerian Heads of State in 1975. - 2 -
As a basis for the jurisdiction of the Court, Cameroon referred to the declarations made by
bath States by which they accept that jurisdiction as compu1sory (Article 36, paragraph 2, of the
Statute of the Court).
In an additional application filed on 6 June 1994, Cameroon extended the case to a further
dispute with Nigeria over "a 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 specify definitively the
frontier between itself and Nigeria from Lake Chad to the sea, to enjoin the withdrawal of Nigerian
troops from Cameroonian territory and to determine reparation for the material and non-material
damage inflicted.
On 12 February 1996, Cameroon requested the Court to indicate provisional measures after
"serious armed incidents" bad taken place between Cameroonian and Nigerian forces in the Bakassi
Peninsu1a. Public hearings were held between S and 8 March 1996, and on 15 March 1996, the
Court de1ivered an Order indicating tbat "bath Parties should ensure that no action of any kind, and
particularly no 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 before it". The ICJ also ru1ed that they "should observe the agreement reached
between the Ministers of Foreign Affairs in Kara, Togo, on 17 February 1996, for the cessation of
ali hostilities in the Bakassi Peninsula".
*
NOTE FOR THE PRESS
1. The public hearings will be held in the Great Hall of Justice of the Peace Palace in The
Hague, The Netherlands. Mobile telephones and beepers are allowed in the courtroom provided
they are turned off or set on silent mode. Any offending deviee will be temporarily retained.
2. Members of the Press will be entitled to attend on presentation of an admission card, which
may be obtained upon application. The tables reserved for them are situated on the far left of the
public entrance of the courtroom.
3. Photographs may be taken for a few minutes at the opening and at the end of the hearings.
Television crews may film, but advance notice should be given to the Information Office (see •
paragraph 7).
4. In the Press Room, located on the ground floor of the Peace Palace (Room 5), the Court's
proceedings will be relayed through a loudspeaker.
5. The verbatim records of the hearings will be available on a daily basis on the Website of
the Court (http://www.icj-cij.org).
6. Members of the Press who wish to rnake telephone calls may use the phone located in the
Press Room for collect calls or the public telephones in the Post Office in the basement of the Peace
Palace.
7. Mr. Arthur Witteveen, Secretary of the Court (tel: 31-70-302 2336), and Mrs. Laurence
Blairon, Information Officer (tel: 31-70-302 2337), are available to deal with any requests for
information and for making arrangements for television coverage.
Land and Maritime Boundary between Cameroon and Nigeria (Cameroon v. Nigeria) - Hearings to open on 2 March on the issue of the jurisdiction of the Court and the admissibility of Cameroon's claims