Ghana-Togo Maritime dispute: Ghana hints of international arbitration if negotiations fail

The government of Ghana has disclosed that, it will not hesitate to seek international arbitration if its counterparts from neighbouring Togo fail to cooperate with Ghana’s Technical Delegation Team that is negotiating a maritime dispute along the eastern border of the country.

Ghana and Togo have failed to come to a consensus after three rounds of negotiations on the maritime boundary demarcations.

The disputed territory is believed to hold oil and gas in commercial quantities.

Already, upstream activities have come to a halt due to an increase in hostile threats from the Togolese naval forces since December last year.

Head of Ghana’s Technical Delegation Team, Lawrence Apaalse, speaking to Accra based Class FM said the government of Ghana will be forced to opt for international arbitration if the talks are exhausted without a consensus with the Togolese counterparts.

He said: “There’s a timetable for us to reach an agreement and so far, we’ve met three times and we are about to go for the fourth meeting on 14 February although we haven’t confirmed that.

“We hope we will be able to soon reach a consensus but if negotiations fail, then we will be forced to go for other alternatives. As far as maritime situations are concerned, when you fail to reach a consensus you go for international arbitration.”