This was contained in a joint statement released hours after the Chamber’s judgement.

[contextly_sidebar id=”hOqcx8D0P3dkaVdSiIoXQKpCikqQucMJ”]The long standing maritime dispute between Ghana and Cote D’lvoire came to what appears to be a closure today [Saturday], September 23, 2017, after ITLOS ruled largely in favour of Ghana.

The Chamber ruled that there has not been any violation on the part of Ghana on Côte d’Ivoire’s maritime boundary.

It further rejected Côte D’Ivoire’s argument that Ghana’s coastal lines were unstable, adding that Ghana had not violated Côte d’Ivoire’s sovereign rights with its oil exploration in the disputed basin in question.

We’ll abide by terms of judgement 

The statement, which was signed by the two agents also saw the two countries reiterating their mutual commitment to abide by the terms of the judgement.

“Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana seize the opportunity to reiterate the mutual commitment of the two countries to abide by the terms of this decision from the Special Chamber, and to fully collaborate for its implementation. Cote d’Ivoire and Ghana accept the decision, in accordance with the Statute of ITLOS.”

The two countries also “affirmed their strong will to work together to strengthen and intensify their brotherly relationships of cooperation and good neighbourliness.”

“On the joint behalf of the Presidents and the Peoples of the Republic of Cote d’Ivoire and the Republic of Ghana, I would like to express our gratitude to the Special Chamber of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea for the courteous attention with which the proceedings were conducted,” the statement added.

Justice Boualem Bouguetaia, President of the Special Chamber in reading the judgment, accepted Ghana’s argument of adoption of the equidistance method of delineation of the maritime boundary.

In consideration of the new boundary, the Chamber determined that it starts from boundary 55 -200 nautical miles away, a position much closer to what Ghana was arguing for.

Analysts say Ghana would now have to wait to see how the final map looks, once the coordinates are plotted in the sea using boundary pillar BP 55+ on a common land boundary, as a starting point for drawing the new equidistance line.

In 2014, Ghana took the case to ITLOS to dispel claims it has encroached Cote d’Ivoire’s marine borders as part of oil exploration activities at Cape Three Points, off the shores of the Western Region.

Ghana’s defense held that Cote d’Ivoire was barred from demanding ownership to the disputed area it had acknowledged that Ghana owned the space without any qualms in the decades leading up to the oil discovery.

The oral hearings for the dispute were concluded in February 2017.

Ghana’s oil discovery

In 2007, Ghana discovered oil and gas in commercial quantities, and this was followed by Cote d’Ivoire staking its claim to portions of the West Cape Three Points.

These claims were renewed in 2010 after Vanco, an oil exploration and production company announced the discovery of oil in the Dzata-1 deepwater-well.

Cote d’Ivoire petitioned the United Nations asking for a completion of the demarcation of its maritime boundary with Ghana, and Ghana responded by setting up of the Ghana Boundary Commission.

This commission was tasked with the responsibility of negotiating with Côte d’Ivoire towards finding a lasting solution to the problem.

But this commission bore no fruit, and in September 2014, Ghana dragged Cote d’Ivoire to ITLOS after 10 failed negotiations.

ITLOS’s first ruling in 2015 placed a moratorium on new projects, with old projects continuing after Cote d’Ivoire filed for preliminary measures and urged the tribunal to suspend all activities on the disputed area until the definitive determination of the case.

The moratorium prevented Tullow Oil from drilling additional 13 wells. Tullow thus drilled eleven [11] wells in Ghana’s first oil field.

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @EfeAnsah

The post Cote D’lvoire, Ghana accept ITLOS judgement on maritime dispute appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The two countries ended their oral submissions this week with strong arguments for their stance.

[contextly_sidebar id=”AOEae1ZaJINdYu7B6YGawYcbZLPhBOez”]Ghana’s Attorney General Gloria Akufo argued that the two countries already have an agreement on their maritime boundary, albeit informally.

Ivory Coast, on the other hand, rejected that claim, calling on the Chamber to declare that Ghana has indeed violated the sovereign rights of Ivory Coast when it unilaterally undertook drilling activities in that boundary.

In his final arguments at ITLOS yon Thursday, Ivory Coast’s agent and Minister of Mines, Petroleum and Energy, Adama Toungara, said,“…to declare and adjudge thirdly that Ghana has violated the provisional measures prescribed by this chamber by its order of 26^th of April, 2015. And fourthly, and  consequently, [A] to invite the parties to carry out negotiations in order to reach agreement on arrangements for reparations due to Cote D’Ivoire; and [B] to state that if they fail to reach an agreement within a period of six months as of the date of the judgment to be delivered by the special chamber, the chamber will determine the amount of compensation or the arrangements for reparations on the basis of additional recent documents dealing with the subject alone.”

Don’t be swayed by Ivory Coast’s argument – Ghana to ITLOS

Ghana in its final submission called on the International Tribunal of the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), not to be swayed by Ivory Coast’s argument.

The Attorney General and leader of Ghana’s delegation to the ITLOS, Gloria Akuffo, told the Special Chamber that Ivory Coast was trying to move the boundary to the east to benefit from Ghana’s oil reserves, saying, “they simply cannot escape from years of mutual practice, however hard they try, in implementation of and reinforced by their own official maps, laws and decrees”.

“It was easy to lose count of the different ways in which they tried to portray the coast. Arrows went one way and then the other, coastal directions twisting and turning; land was added; land was removed, depending on what point they wanted to make at any particular moment”, she added.

Both countries are at the ITLOS over their maritime boundary after several bilateral talks failed.

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By: Eugenia Tekorang/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Ghana-Ivory Coast maritime boundary dispute; judgement set for September appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.