Belize submits memorial to ICJ in sovereignty dispute with Honduras over Sapodilla Caye

Published by [email protected] at May 3, 2023

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Posted: Wednesday, May 3, 2023. 6:33 am CST.

By Breaking Belize News Staff: Belize announced yesterday that it has met the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) deadline to submit a Memorial in the ongoing dispute with Honduras regarding the sovereignty of the Sapodilla Caye. The Memorial was handed over to Jean-Pelé Fomété, Deputy Registrar of the ICJ, in The Hague, The Netherlands.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Memorial provides a vigorous defense of Belize’s sovereignty over the Sapodilla Cayes. It requests the Court to declare Belize’s sovereignty and invalidate any claims by Honduras. Honduras has until December 4, 2023, to submit its Counter-Memorial.

In November last year, Belize filed an application with the ICJ Registrar in an effort to resolve the long-standing dispute with Honduras. The application highlighted that the Sapodilla Cayes had been part of Belize’s territory since the early 19th century, initially as part of the Belize settlement, later as a part of British Honduras, and, since 1981, as part of the independent State of Belize.

The Sapodilla Cayes, encompassing 15,618 hectares, have been a national environmental reserve in Belize since 1996. The outcome of this dispute will have significant implications for both nations, as they strive to maintain their territorial integrity and protect their valuable natural resources.

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