ICJ Rules on Maritime and Land Boundaries Between Nicaragua and Costa Rica (February 2, 2018) [1]
On February 2, 2018, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled [3] in joined cases Maritime Delimitation in the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean and Land Boundary in the Northern Part of Isla Portillos to set the maritime boundaries between Costa Rica and Nicaragua in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean, as well as a land boundary in a sandbar between the countries. The Court held that Costa Rica has sovereignty over the whole northern part of Isla Portillos, including its coast, except for Harbor Head Lagoon and the sandbar separating it from the Caribbean Sea; that Nicaragua violated Costa Rica’s sovereignty by establishing a military camp on Costa Rican territory and that it must remove the military camp; and it set the maritime boundaries in the Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean, the latitude and longitude of which are listed in the press release [3], along with maps of the areas. The ICJ also ruled [4] on the same day on the matter of compensation stemming from a 2015 judgment [5], deciding that Nicaragua owed Costa Rica $378,890.59 for damage Nicaragua caused with its unlawful construction work near the mouth of the San Juan River.