The third Quarterly Report of 2023 covers the following range of topics:

Colombia–Nicaragua Maritime Boundary Dispute

On 13 July 2023, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) handed down one of its more consequential rulings, which deals with a coastal State’s right to claim an outer continental shelf that lies within another States’ 200 nautical mile (M) exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

China’s New National Map

On 28 August 2023, China released a new set of maps depicting its territorial and maritime claims, which evoked a public outcry from neighboring States. The maps were released in a collection of 879 maps.

Iran–Kuwait–Saudi Arabia Maritime Dispute

Tensions over the Dorra/Arash gas field, located in the Persian/Arabian Gulf, have resurfaced between Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Additional Boundary Updates

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict broke out in October, the latest version of a conflict that has marked a century of violence between Jews and Arabs in the region. Hamas fighters entered Israel from Gaza and launched an attack, and the next day, Israel declared war on Hamas with the stated intention of eradicating the organization. As of 22 December 2023, Israel’s counteroffensive in Gaza has killed approximately 20,000 people, with another 6,700 missing.

Learn more in our update