Order of 5 April 2017

5 AVRIL 2017

ORDONNANCE

IMMUNITÉS ET PROCÉDURES PÉNALES

(GUINÉE ÉQUATORIALE c. FRANCE)

___________

IMMUNITIES AND CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS

(EQUATORIAL GUINEA v. FRANCE)

5 APRIL 2017

ORDER INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE

YEAR 2017
2017
5 April
General List

No. 163
5 April 2017

IMMUNITIES AND CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS

(EQUATORIAL GUINEA v. FRANCE)

ORDER

Present: Vice-President USUF , Acting President; President ABRAHAM ; Judges OWADA ,
TOMKA , BENNOUNA , CANÇADO TRINDADE , GREENWOOD , XUE , DONOGHUE , GAJA,
SEBUTINDE , HANDARI , ROBINSON , RAWFORD , GEVORGIAN ; Registrar OUVREUR .

The International Court of Justice,

Composed as above,

After deliberation,

Having regard to Article 48 of the Statute of the Court and to Article 79, paragraphs 1 and 5,
of the Rules of Court,

Having regard to the Order of 1 July 2016, whereby the Court fixed 3 January 2017 and

3 July 2017 as the respective time-limits for the filing of a Memorial by the Republic of
Equatorial Guinea and a Counter-Memorial by the French Republic,

Having regard to the Memorial of Equatorial Guinea filed within the time-limit thus fixed; - 2 -

Whereas, on 31 March 2017, France raised certain preliminary objections to the jurisdiction

of the Court;

Whereas, consequently, under the provisions of Article 79, paragraph 5, of the Rules of
Court, the proceedings on the merits are suspended and a time-limit must be fixed within which the
other Party may present a written statement of its observations and submissions on the preliminary
objections;

Taking account of Practice Direction V, according to which the time-limit for the
presentation of such a written statement shall generally not exceed four months from the date of the
filing of preliminary objections,

Fixes 31 July 2017 as the time-limit within which the Republic of Equatorial Guinea may
present a written statement of its observations and submissions on the preliminary objections raised
by the French Republic; and

Reserves the subsequent procedure for further decision.

Done in French and in English, the French text being authoritative, at the Peace Palace,
The Hague, this fifth day of April, two thousand and seventeen, in three copies, one of which will
be placed in the archives of the Court and the others transmitted to the Government of the

Republic of Equatorial Guinea and the Government of the French Republic, respectively.

(Signed) Abdulqawi Ahmed Y USUF ,
Vice-President.

(Signed) Philippe C OUVREUR ,
Registrar.

___________