Gabon and Equatorial Guinea are currently presenting their case before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague to resolve a five-decade territorial dispute over three oil-rich islands in the Gulf of Guinea. Following hearings of Malabo, Libreville presented its arguments on October 2, focusing on a 1974 convention signed in Bata which Gabon claims. The central Africa country confirms its sovereignty over the islands of Mbanié, Cocotier, and Conga.
Equatorial Guinea’s legal team has dismissed the document as insignificant, but Gabon submitted a certified copy, arguing its validity. Marie-Madeleine Mborantsuo, honorary president of Gabon’s Constitutional Court, explained that President Omar Bongo had sent the convention text to the French ambassador in 1974, a standard diplomatic practice. Gabon urged the ICJ to recognize the document to establish a basis for negotiations and resolve the long-standing dispute.