Colombia to Fix San Andres Sea Borders by Decree on Nov. 30
(MENAFN) Colombian President Abelardo De la Espriella said in a national address Sunday that he will sign a decree formally setting the baselines and maritime boundaries of the San Andres, Providencia and Santa Catalina Archipelago.
Speaking from a naval vessel off San Andres, he said the coordinates will be added to Colombia’s official nautical charts, closing a gap that dates to Law 10 of Aug. 4, 1978. That law called for technical baselines, but mainland coordinates were set in 1984 without equivalent technical definitions for the island territory.
“That debt to the Republic will be settled today,” he declared, naming Nov. 30, the feast day of San Andres and the island’s patron saint celebration, as the signing date.
He then issued a warning on sovereignty: “Colombia will not cede a single nautical mile. Our Navy will always be ready to act in accordance with the law ... Not a single meter more than what the law recognizes, nor a single meter less than what belongs to us.”
The president described the decree as an assertion of state sovereignty and maritime jurisdiction that will let Colombia calculate its territorial sea and exclusive economic zone precisely. As part of a broader territorial defense policy, he said unauthorized economic, scientific or exploratory activity will not be allowed in waters Colombia claims.
The move follows a long-running maritime dispute between Colombia and Nicaragua at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). In 2012, the court affirmed Colombian sovereignty over San Andres, Providencia, Santa Catalina and key surrounding cays, but redrew the maritime boundaries and gave Nicaragua a larger economic zone. In 2023, it rejected Nicaragua’s extended continental shelf claim, which overlapped Colombia’s 200-nautical-mile maritime area.
By publishing the baseline coordinates in official nautical documents, the De la Espriella administration aims to consolidate its maritime perimeter technically and strengthen security, commercial navigation and local fishing rights across the Caribbean.
Separately, allegations of financial mismanagement in the archipelago have led the national government to request coordinated intervention from Colombia’s top oversight authorities. The initiative seeks to investigate possible irregularities in local public procurement, targeting political networks suspected of interfering in government contracts and misdirecting public funds.
Speaking from a naval vessel off San Andres, he said the coordinates will be added to Colombia’s official nautical charts, closing a gap that dates to Law 10 of Aug. 4, 1978. That law called for technical baselines, but mainland coordinates were set in 1984 without equivalent technical definitions for the island territory.
“That debt to the Republic will be settled today,” he declared, naming Nov. 30, the feast day of San Andres and the island’s patron saint celebration, as the signing date.
He then issued a warning on sovereignty: “Colombia will not cede a single nautical mile. Our Navy will always be ready to act in accordance with the law ... Not a single meter more than what the law recognizes, nor a single meter less than what belongs to us.”
The president described the decree as an assertion of state sovereignty and maritime jurisdiction that will let Colombia calculate its territorial sea and exclusive economic zone precisely. As part of a broader territorial defense policy, he said unauthorized economic, scientific or exploratory activity will not be allowed in waters Colombia claims.
The move follows a long-running maritime dispute between Colombia and Nicaragua at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). In 2012, the court affirmed Colombian sovereignty over San Andres, Providencia, Santa Catalina and key surrounding cays, but redrew the maritime boundaries and gave Nicaragua a larger economic zone. In 2023, it rejected Nicaragua’s extended continental shelf claim, which overlapped Colombia’s 200-nautical-mile maritime area.
By publishing the baseline coordinates in official nautical documents, the De la Espriella administration aims to consolidate its maritime perimeter technically and strengthen security, commercial navigation and local fishing rights across the Caribbean.
Separately, allegations of financial mismanagement in the archipelago have led the national government to request coordinated intervention from Colombia’s top oversight authorities. The initiative seeks to investigate possible irregularities in local public procurement, targeting political networks suspected of interfering in government contracts and misdirecting public funds.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Comments
No comment