Ghana has formally initiated international arbitration proceedings to resolve its protracted maritime boundary dispute with neighbouring Togo, signalling a decisive shift from political negotiations to legal determination.
In a press statement issued Friday by the Presidency Communications Office, the government confirmed that it had formally notified Lomé of its decision to seek delimitation of the contested boundary under international law.
“The Government of Ghana has served the Government of Togo with notice of its decision that the maritime boundary between Ghana and Togo be delimited by recourse to international arbitration under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),” the statement said.
The move follows eight years of bilateral discussions that failed to yield a mutually agreed settlement.
According to the statement, attempts at negotiation over the past eight years did not produce an agreed outcome, prompting Accra to activate dispute resolution mechanisms under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Government indicated that unresolved tensions had begun to strain relations between certain state institutions. It stressed that arbitration is intended to prevent further escalation and preserve the longstanding diplomatic ties between the two West African neighbours.
“Ghana has taken this step in order to avoid an escalation of incidents that have created tensions between some of our institutions and to promote an amicable resolution, thereby contributing to the continued good relations between our two countries,” the statement noted.
Background to the Dispute
The roots of the disagreement date back several years and centre largely on offshore oil exploration activities.
In 2018, Ghana’s Petroleum Commission disclosed that Togo had, between December 2017 and May 2018, halted two Ghanaian seismic vessels conducting deep-sea data acquisition in areas approaching Togo’s maritime claims.
The friction intensified following Ghana’s successful maritime boundary case with Côte d’Ivoire, after which Togo asserted claims over a boundary line extending toward its coast.
Although the latest government statement did not specify particular exploration blocks or fresh incidents at sea, maritime boundaries in the Gulf of Guinea carry high economic stakes due to offshore oil and gas reserves as well as fishing grounds.
By opting for arbitration under UNCLOS, Ghana is seeking a binding legal ruling rather than prolonged diplomatic engagement. The convention provides a recognised framework for resolving disputes concerning territorial waters, maritime boundaries and resource rights, and has been used by several coastal states to obtain definitive determinations.
The process will likely involve the constitution of an arbitral tribunal, submission of memorials and counter-memorials by both parties, and oral hearings — a procedure that could span several years before a final award is issued.
For now, Accra’s decision marks a significant escalation in form but a measured attempt in substance to resolve the impasse through established international legal channels while safeguarding bilateral relations.
