Ghana has formally initiated an international legal process to resolve its long-standing maritime boundary dispute with neighboring Togo. In an official statement released on Friday, the Ghanaian government announced that it has served notice to Togo of its decision to pursue international arbitration under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). UNCLOS serves as the global legal framework that governs maritime rights and responsibilities between nations.

The move by Ghana is primarily aimed at preventing a further escalation of incidents that have created tensions between institutions of both countries, as well as promoting an amicable and lasting resolution to the contentious issue. Authorities emphasized that this step is intended to contribute to the maintenance of continued good relations between Ghana and Togo, despite the ongoing disagreement.

For many years, bilateral negotiations between the two West African nations to settle the offshore boundary dispute have repeatedly failed, with both parties unable to reach a mutually acceptable settlement. The disputed maritime area is located off their southern coasts within the Gulf of Guinea, a region widely recognized for its significant reserves of offshore oil and natural gas, making its delimitation strategically important.

The roots of the dispute trace back to late 2017 and early 2018. During this period, Togolese authorities intervened and stopped two Ghanaian seismic survey vessels from conducting deep-sea oil and gas exploration activities. Ghana contended that the operations were being carried out within its territorial waters, while Togo maintained that Ghana was operating in an area that overlapped with its own claimed maritime zone. Notably, these incidents occurred shortly after Ghana had successfully resolved a separate maritime dispute with its western neighbor, Côte d'Ivoire.

Following the 2017 incidents, Ghana and Togo had initially agreed to negotiate a delimitation line. They subsequently established a Joint Maritime Boundary Technical Committee, composed of technical experts from both sides, with the mandate to define an acceptable boundary. However, multiple rounds of negotiations conducted by this committee failed to produce an agreement. Key points of contention included differences over the methodology for delimitation, the choice of baseline coordinates, and the interpretation of nautical charts. Togo also lodged complaints regarding the presence of Ghanaian naval vessels in the contested waters even as the diplomatic talks were in progress. In 2021, Ghana proposed a specific demarcation line, but this proposal was ultimately rejected by Togo.

Despite the persistent dispute and failed negotiations, both countries have demonstrated a commitment to certain cooperative measures within the contested area. They had previously agreed to coordinate joint patrols, fishing activities, research, non-invasive exploration, mining studies, and maritime navigation, indicating a desire to manage potential conflicts while seeking a definitive resolution.