World Court Rules in Favor of Equatorial Guinea in Island Dispute with Gabon

The International Court of Justice (ICJ), commonly referred to as the World Court, has delivered a final and binding judgment in a long-standing territorial dispute between Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. On Monday, the ICJ ruled that Equatorial Guinea holds the rightful claim to a group of small islands situated in the oil-rich Gulf of Guinea.

The court’s decision is grounded in a 1900 colonial-era convention that divided territories between France and Spain in West Africa. According to the ruling, this agreement establishes Equatorial Guinea’s sovereignty over the disputed islands.

The ICJ rejected Gabon’s reliance on a 1974 agreement, stating that it did not possess the legal authority of a formal treaty. “The title that holds legal weight regarding sovereignty over the islands is the one held by the Kingdom of Spain as of October 12, 1968, which Equatorial Guinea inherited,” the court declared.

This verdict compels Gabon to withdraw its military forces from Mbanié Island—an uninhabited landmass less than one kilometre in length and approximately 30 hectares in size—where its troops have been stationed since 1972 after displacing Equatorial Guinean forces.

The conflict, which also includes the islands of Cocotiers and Conga, remained largely dormant until oil prospects in the early 2000s revived interest in the region. After years of United Nations-mediated dialogue, both countries agreed in 2016 to allow the ICJ to settle the matter.