ICJ Issues Ruling on Chile-Bolivia Dispute Over Silala River

On Thursday, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague delivered a verdict on the dispute between Chile and Bolivia over the use of the waters of the Silala river. In an unappealable manner, the Court decided that Silala is an international watercourse.

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More specifically, through a 51-page ruling, the Court determined that Bolivia has the right to the canalization of the Silala river and Chile has no vested right to use all of its waters.

The Silala river originates on Bolivian high-altitude wetlands and descends towards the Pacific Ocean basin. Over the last six years, the use of its water resources has been the subject of a dispute between these South American countries.

In 2016, Chile asked the ICJ to declare the Silala river an international watercourse in order to guarantee their rights over the use of water resources in their territory.

Two years later, Bolivia asked the Hague Court to recognize its rights over the river's artificial flow given that that Andean country built a system of canals to collect water from high-altitude wetlands. Consequently, Bolivia's demanded that Chile pay compensation for the use of the resources downstream.

The tweet reads, "From The Hague, Bolivian Foreign Minister Rogelio Mayta described as positive the ruling of the International Justice Court in Chile's claim against Bolivia for the waters of Silala. He stated that none of the 5 points claimed by Chile were proven."

Two years later, Bolivia asked the Hague Court to recognize its rights over the river's artificial flow given that that Andean country built a system of canals to collect water from high-altitude wetlands. Consequently, Bolivia's demanded that Chile pay compensation for the use of the resources downstream.

While the Silala's flow is relatively small, it crosses the arid Atacama desert, which makes it a key water resource for the economic development of the Antofagasta region, where the world's largest amount of copper is produced.

In its final verdict, the Hague Court recognized both Chile's right to use the Silala's water resources and Bolivia's right to dismantle or make modifications to the artificial channels that carry water from its territory to the neighboring country.