Relationship dossier
Colombia
Nicaragua
Relationship assessment
A sustained Caribbean maritime dispute has dominated Colombia–Nicaragua relations.
Colombia toward Nicaragua
-30Colombia contested Nicaragua's maritime claims before the International Court of Justice and rejected the Court's jurisdiction over some later proceedings after withdrawing from the Pact of Bogotá. Colombia has also expressed willingness to pursue dialogue over the maritime dispute.
Nicaragua toward Colombia
-35Nicaragua brought multiple cases against Colombia before the International Court of Justice, challenging Colombia's maritime claims and seeking an expanded continental shelf. The Court's rulings have addressed the two countries' competing claims.
Overall relationship
-30The relationship has been shaped chiefly by a long-running dispute over Caribbean sovereignty and maritime boundaries, including litigation and consequential International Court of Justice rulings. Dialogue has been proposed, but the dispute remains a defining feature of bilateral relations.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Colombia and Nicaragua have had a sustained dispute over sovereignty and maritime boundaries in the Caribbean, pursued through multiple cases at the International Court of Justice. The Court's 2012 ruling changed the maritime boundary, and a 2023 ruling rejected Nicaragua's claim to an extended continental shelf. The dispute has constrained bilateral relations, although Colombia has expressed willingness to pursue dialogue over implementation.
Areas of tension
- Competing claims to maritime areas in the Caribbean
- Disagreement over the effect and implementation of International Court of Justice maritime rulings
- Nicaragua's claim to an extended continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles
Key developments
The International Court of Justice issued a ruling delimiting the maritime boundary between Colombia and Nicaragua.
The International Court of Justice rejected Nicaragua's claim to an extended continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and progress of bilateral discussions on implementing the maritime rulings are unclear.
- The extent of government cooperation outside the maritime dispute is unclear.