ITLOS ruling victory for Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire – Manteaw

The chairman for the Civil Society Platform on Oil and Gas, Dr. Steve Manteaw has welcomed the ruling by the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), saying: “I see it as victory for both parties.”

The tribunal ruled Saturday that Ghana did not violate the sovereign right of Cote D’Ivoire by drilling oil around the maritime area shared by both countries.

“Ghana did not violate the provisional measures prescribed by the Special Chamber in its Order of 25 April 2015,” the judgement read by Judge Boualem Bouguetaia, President of the Special Chamber.

“There is no tacit agreement between the Parties to delimit their territorial sea, exclusive economic zone and continental shelf both within and beyond 200 nm, and rejects Ghana’s claim that Côte d’Ivoire is estopped from objecting to the “customary equidistance boundary,” added the judgement.

Commenting on the judgement on Morning Starr Monday, September 25, 2017, Dr. Manteaw said, “…I see it as victory for both parties, because now, Cote D’Ivoire is also clear about where their boundaries end with Ghana and they can then confidently market their area to attract investments.”

“It puts Cote D’Ivoire on a good pedestal to be able to attract investments into their side of the disputed area,” he added.