The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has confirmed Equatorial Guinea’s sovereignty over the disputed islands of Mbañé, Corisco, and Conga, rejecting Gabon’s claims.
The 13-2 ruling upheld colonial-era agreements, particularly the 1900 Franco-Spanish Convention, as the legal basis for the decision. The judgment reinforces the primacy of historical treaties in territorial disputes.
Key takeaways from the judgment:
- The Court unanimously rejected the “Bata Convention,” invoked by Gabon, as lacking legal force under international law.
- The only recognised legal titles stem from the 1900 Franco-Spanish Convention, defining boundaries at the time of each nation’s independence (Gabon in 1960, Equatorial Guinea in 1968).
The focus now shifts to Gabon and Equatorial Guinea to implement this decision peacefully through joint border demarcation, guided by international law. This ruling underscores the importance of historical treaties and diplomacy in resolving territorial disputes.
