Joint management of shared resources as an alternative approach for addressing maritime boundary disputes : the Kenya-Somalia maritime boundary dispute

Socio-economic security has motivated African states to explore natural resources in areas of overlapping maritime claims. However, Africa’s maritime boundaries are characterized by unresolved disputes. Resolution of these disputes is time-consuming, expensive and can undermine the state’s ability to exploit natural resources. The Somalia and Kenya maritime dispute under litigation with the International Court of Justice demonstrates the continental commitment to peaceful resolution. Citing cases from across Africa, we discuss outright delimitation or Joint Management Zones (JMZs) as means to address disputes over shared resources, particularly transboundary fisheries, which have received little attention. Reframing the Kenya-Somalia maritime dispute resolution process as cooperation over fisheries management will have spill-over effects into greater diplomatic relations. Fish do not abide by maritime boundaries. As such, we posit that the peaceful resolution of maritime boundary disputes lies in Africa’s ability to consider settlements by way of JMZs to motivate sustainable use of natural resources.PostprintPeer reviewe

ANTIPROLIFERATIVE ACTIVITY OF FLAVONOIDS ISOLATED FROM ECHINOPS GRACILIS O. HOFFM

Apigenin-7-O-(4′′-feruloyl)-β-D-glucopyranoside (1) were isolated from the methanol extract of aerial part of Echinops gracilis, together with apigenin-7-O-(4′′-trans-p-hydroxycinnamoyl)-β-D-glucopyranoside (2) and apigenin-7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (3). Compound (1) previously displayed antioxidant and antibacterial activity. The present study aims at evaluating the antiproliferative potential of flavonoids, isolated from the aerial part of E. gracilis O. Hoffm. The effect of compounds (1), (2) and (3) on the viability of HeLa cells was determined by the method of 3-(4,5-dimethythiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay at different concentrations. The ability of compounds to induce the cell death was evaluated by using acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EtBr) staining. Compound (1) induced an effective change in the cell viability of HeLa cells with IC50 concentration value of 27.36 µgmL-1. Induction of cell death alteration in cell morphology and cancer cell population was observed in cells treated with compound (1), which makes it behave as a potent synergistic antiproliferative agent against HeLa cells