Ghana Initiates International Arbitration for Maritime Dispute with Togo

Ghana has formally commenced an international legal procedure to address its protracted maritime boundary dispute with Togo.

In a declaration made on Friday, the Ghanaian government confirmed that it has informed Togo of its decision to pursue international arbitration to settle the ongoing dispute.

The country intends to utilize the

United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which provides a framework for maritime rights and obligations on a global scale.

The Ghanaian government stated, "The Government of Ghana has issued a notice to the Government of Togo indicating its choice for the maritime boundary to be determined through international arbitration under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)."

Authorities noted that this decision was made to help reduce growing tensions linked to unresolved boundary issues. The statement further explained, "Ghana has undertaken this action to prevent the aggravation of incidents that have sparked tensions amongst various institutions and to encourage a peaceful resolution, thereby enhancing the positive relations between our nations."

Years of direct negotiations aimed at resolving the offshore boundary conflict have not resulted in a satisfactory agreement, as both parties have consistently failed to find common ground.

The disputed maritime region is located off the southern coast of both countries in the Gulf of Guinea, an area estimated to be rich in offshore oil and gas resources.

The contention dates back to December 2017 and early 2018 when Togolese authorities halted two Ghanaian survey vessels that were set to carry out deep-sea oil and gas explorations.

Ghana posited that these waters belonged to them, while Togo maintained that Ghana’s operations overlapped with their claimed maritime territory. This incident followed shortly after Ghana's victory in a maritime dispute with Côte d’Ivoire.

Subsequent to these 2017 events, both countries consented to negotiate a boundary delimitation line. They established a Joint Maritime Boundary Technical Committee comprising experts from both sides to delineate a mutually agreeable boundary.

However, repeated discussions

failed to yield an agreement due to differences over methodologies, baseline coordinates, and interpretations of nautical charts.

Moreover, Togo raised concerns about the presence of Ghanaian naval vessels in contested waters during ongoing negotiations. In 2021, Ghana suggested a demarcation line, which Togo rejected.

Despite these challenges, both nations reached an accord to collaborate on joint patrols, fishing endeavors, research initiatives, non-invasive explorations, mining studies, and maritime navigation in the region.