Sovereignty-related Issues behind ICJ Decision on Dispute over Territorial and Maritime Boundary Delimitantion between Nicaragua and Colombia

Abstract

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) made a ruling about the dispute over territorial and maritime boundary delimitation between Nicaragua and Colombia on November 19, 2012. The judgement made by the ICJ came in 11 years after Nicaragua filed a lawsuit. The legal case was ignited by Nicaragua claiming to its sovereignty over three islands including San Andre's, Providencia, and Santa Catalina, and seven reefs including Alburquerque Cays, Bajo Nuevo, East-Southeast Cays, Quitasue？o Roncador, Serrana, and Serranilla. The parties concerned, Nicaragua and Colombia, had made assertions for the sovereignty based on their interpretations of a territory-related treaty signed in 1928 between the two countries, namely, whether the disputed islands and reefs are subject to the sovereignty under the treaty, determination of the sovereignty in accordance with the status quo principle (uti possidetis juris), presence of a continued and consistent execution of sovereignty (acts ？ titre de souverain), and application of the effectiveness principle (effectivit？s).