The territorial conflict between Gabon and Equatorial Guinea is once again in the spotlight. These two Central African countries have contested the sovereignty of three islands since the 1970s. Following the failure of a UN mediation, Libreville and Malabo had agreed to resort to the International Court of Justice to resolve this dispute.
as reported from Libreville, Yves-Laurent Goma
A statement from Gabon’s Foreign Ministry, released on Tuesday, April 13, confirms that the ICJ has initiated proceedings. The territorial dispute has been going on in The Hague since March through video conferencing.
The two countries have been asked to nominate their representatives and submit their defenses. The case dates back to 1972 when Equatorial Guinea claimed sovereignty over Mbanié, the largest island with an area of 20 hectares and two other islets, Cocotiers and Conga. In 1974, a treaty was signed. It relieves tension. But 15 years later, Equatorial Guinea resumed the dispute.
A long procedure
To avoid a war between the two neighbors, the UN comes in and acts as a mediator. Under the auspices of the United Nations, the two parties concluded a treaty in 2008 authorizing the International Court of Justice (ICJ) based in The Hague to resolve this dispute. But the procedure can take a long time, according to a Gabonese source.
Especially since it is said that the subsoil of the disputed pieces of land would be full of oil and the water rich in fish.
► Our series on disputed territories
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