INTERNATIONAL BORDER CONFLICTS AND DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS AMONG AFRICAN STATES

REFLECTIONS ON NIGERIA-CAMEROON AND GHANA-IVORY COAST BORDER CONFLICTS

Abstract

The rising spate of international border conflicts has generated a lot of concerns, controversies, and debates over the implications and consequences for diplomatic relations among African States. Due to the prevailing international boundary disputes, the basis upon which the territorial integrity of African States can be established is largely questioned with respect to pre-colonial natural boundaries and the postcolonial political boundaries. More worrisome is the fact that the resolution and management processes of the international border conflicts among African States are scarcely handled by African Institutions; instead, they are handled by western controlled institutions thereby expanding the spheres of vested interests and diplomatic maneuvering beyond African States. Thus, this study examines the impacts of international border conflicts on diplomatic relations among African States with comparative insights drawn from the experiences of the Nigeria-Cameroon and Ghana-Ivory Coast border conflicts. Qualitative Research Method was adopted while Territorial Peace Theory was applied. The objectives of the study are to: (i) identify the basis upon which the international courts passed verdicts over the Nigeria-Cameroon and Ivory Coast-Ghana border conflicts; (ii) examine how the Nigeria-Cameroon and Ivory Coast-Ghana border conflicts affect their diplomatic relations. The major findings of the study are: (a) the International Court of Justice passed verdict over the Nigeria-Cameroon land and maritime border conflict based on the principles of uti possidetis and inviolability; while the Special Chambers of ITLOS ruled on the Ivory Coast-Ghana maritime border conflict based on the principles of equi-distance and relevant circumstances; (b) although the border conflicts affected Nigeria-Cameroon and Ivory Coast-Ghana diplomatic relations negatively, it was not to the extent of the countries severing their diplomatic ties. Hence, the study enjoins other African States having border conflicts to adopt legal options as Nigeria and Cameroon as well as Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire did to sustain their diplomatic relations.