Ghana, Ivory Coast to resolve boundary dispute by June
The government of Ghana says it is optimistic that the maritime dispute with the Ivory Coast will be resolved peacefully by the end of June.
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Both countries are claiming ownership of a territory in the maritime border of the two countries which experts say holds about two billion barrels of oil reserves, as well as 1.2 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.
Ghana was the first to strike oil in the disputed C100 area along the Tano Basin and believed it had exclusive rights over that maritime boundary until April last year when Cote d’Ivoire also announced that it had struck oil in a block off its shore and adjacent Ghana’s Jubilee Field.
Although the Ghana government has, since the dispute broke out, sent a team to hold talks with the Ivorian authorities, indications are that Ghana’s neighbours have renewed their claim to the territory.
However, speaking on Accra-based Joy FM, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Alhaji Inusah Fuseni noted that a joint committee has visited the site to ascertain the geographic coordinates of the boundary post.
He said subsequent meetings would be held in Ghana and Ivory Coast to study the options, after which the various options would be weighed to help resolve the matter amicably.
“We are not doing it out of the blue, there have been a customized boundary that has been respected by both parties and that is the basis upon which we are progressing, even though that boundary has been disputed by Ivory Coast but it is the starting point of the negotiation between the two countries,” he said.
Alhaji Fuseini explained that whatever approach would be adopted by government would be within the framework of international law that recognizes that maritime rules and boundary issues are resolved by negotiations.
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He further explained that failure to abide by the framework of international laws would require that a forum is set up by a tribunal to take a decision on the matter.
“So, if we fail to resolve the maritime issue with Ivory Coast on a peaceful and consensual manner, we can resort to the national tribunal and invite a Neutral Party to help us resolve the matter,” he said.