Gabon and Equatorial Guinea faced off at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Monday, seeking a resolution to a decades-long dispute over the sovereignty of three disputed islands in potentially oil-rich waters.
The two West African nations have been at odds over the 30-hectare island of Mbanie and two smaller islets since the early 1970s.
Despite the contentious nature of the dispute, both countries agreed to submit the issue to the ICJ for a resolution.
The dispute dates back to 1900 when France and Spain signed a treaty outlining the borders between their colonial territories.
Gabon argues that a later treaty, the Bata Convention, grants it sovereignty over the islands.
However, Equatorial Guinea disputes the validity of this document, claiming it was presented for the first time in 2003 and was not an original.
The Equatorial Guinean delegation questioned the legitimacy of the document and insisted that Gabon present an original version.
They also accused Gabon of invading the islands in 1972 and illegally occupying them ever since.
Both countries have asked the ICJ to determine which legal texts are valid, without specifically requesting a ruling on sovereignty.
They hope that the court’s decision will help resolve their outstanding disputes and create a more sustainable basis for their bilateral relations.
