Malawi tells Tanzania the lake border crisis should be referred to the ICJ

Malawi has told Tanzania that the border crisis between the two countries should be referred to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) after talks between the two countries hit a deadlock in Lilongwe on Saturday.

Tanzania had insisted that oil exploration on the disputed Lake Malawi should stop, but Malawi indicated it was not possible to so immediately because that would breach its contract with the company doing the work.

The countries have agreed to meet again from September 10 to 14 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Officials from Tanzania and Malawi held closed door talks in Lilongwe on Saturday to map the way forward on the Lake Malawi border dispute after week long talks held earlier in Mzuzu where technical experts discussed the issue.

The long standing dispute has resurfaced this year after Malawi started oil exploration on the lake. Tanzania claims it owns half of the water body, and has called on Malawi to halt the exploration, but Lilongwe has stood its ground saying it owns the whole lake.

A press conference held after talks clearly indicated there was a stalemate.

Tanzania foreign affairs minister Bernard Membe told reporters in the Malawi capital that there could be other ways of resolving the dispute other than referring it to the ICJ.

But Malawi foreign affairs minister Ephraim Chiume said referring the matter to the ICJ was the only solution. He, however, indicated that Malawi would still engage in talks with Tanzania in the meantime. Mr Chiume said there was need for arbitration because the dispute has brought uneasiness among the people living along the border in the both countries.

Malawi foreign affairs secretary Patrick Kabambe said cabinet will decide the way forward on the request by Tanzania to halt the oil exploration.

Zodiak Online, Malawi