THE HAGUE (Reuters) – The International Court of Justice said on Friday that Mali’s application for a case against neighbouring Algeria over the shooting down of a Malian military drone could only proceed if Algeria accepts the court’s jurisdiction.
Mali’s accusation that Algeria deliberately shot down the drone along their shared desert border during the night of March 31 to April 1 led to a diplomatic crisis.
In its application to the ICJ, the United Nations’ highest court, Mali said the downing of the drone was an act of aggression in violation of international law.
However, since Algeria has not given the ICJ automatic jurisdiction for any disputes with other U.N. members, the court said it had sent Mali’s claim on to the Algerian government.
“No action will be taken in the proceedings unless and until Algeria consents to the court’s jurisdiction in the case,” the ICJ, also known as the World Court, said in a press release.
Mali alleges the downing of the drone, near Tinzaouaten in Mali’s Kidal region, was intended to hinder operations by Malian forces against armed groups.
Algeria has said its forces shot down an armed surveillance drone that violated its airspace near the border.
(Reporting by Stephanie van den Berg; Editing by Aidan Lewis)
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