Accra, September 22, 2017//-Ghanaian experts are confident that Saturday’s ruling by the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) on maritime boundary dispute between Ghana and Ivory Coast will certainly go in the way of Ghana.
Ishmael Edjekumhene, Executive Director of KITE, admitted that the two countries are sitting on tenterhook, but due to the “solid case” presented by Ghana “I am confident Ghana will will”.
In an unlikely event that the court rules in favour of Ivory Coast, he told TV3 Midday Live on Friday, it will affect Ghana’s future revenue but there is no way all the investments made by Ghana would be made to go waste.
A legal practitioner, Martin Kpebu who wades into the conversation explained that if Ivory Coast wins it has to “reimburse Ghana for its investment” based on “principle of equity” .
He also noted the possibility of the two countries being asked to jointly exploit the resources is only high on the table.
Having studied similar rulings by the tribunal such as the Norway and UK, Netherlands and UK, and Tunisia and Morocco, Mr. Kpebu declared: “Based on what we are hearing and reading, we should be successful.”
Maritime lawyer and former Shippers Authority boss Dr. Kofi Mbiah had told Star FM Saturday’s ruling will favour Ghana.
“I’m very positive on the basis of the law, not only on the basis of nationalism. I have reviewed the very recent decision and I have seen the approach that has been taken by the court in recent times and I’m very convinced that it will go in Ghana’s favour”.
Ghana resorted to the Germany-based tribunal after about three years of diplomatic jaw-jaw with its neighboring country claiming parts of the oil and gas-rich Cape Three Points and other investment, fell through.
After years of sitting, the court set Saturday, September 23 to bring finality to the impasse.
Ghana discovered oil and gas in commercial quantities in 2007. Cote d’Ivoire staked claim of ownership to portions of the West Cape Three Points.
In 2010, Cote d’Ivoire renewed claim of ownership of the disputed sea, days after Vanco, an oil exploration and production company, announced the discovery of oil in the Dzata-1 deepwater-well.
Ivorian government petitioned the United Nations asking for a completion of the demarcation of its maritime boundary with Ghana.
n March 2010, Ghanaian authorities responded with the setting up of the Ghana Boundary Commission (GBC) tasked with the responsibility of negotiating with Côte d’Ivoire towards finding a lasting solution to the problem.
Ghana dragged Cote d’Ivoire to ITLOS in September 2014 after 10 failed negotiations.
In April 2015, the ITLOS made first ruling and placed moratorium on new projects and also asked old projects to continue.
The case concluded and judgement is expected on September 23, 2017.
African Eye Report/ 3news.com
