Ghana has formally notified Togo of its decision to resolve their long-standing maritime boundary dispute through international arbitration under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
The announcement was made in a statement issued on Friday, February 20, 2026, by Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Spokesperson to the President and Minister for Government Communications.
According to the statement, the move comes after eight years of bilateral negotiations that failed to produce a mutually agreed-upon boundary.
“This follows attempts at negotiating a boundary which have gone on for the past eight years but have not resulted in an agreed outcome,” the statement noted.
Ghana’s decision aims to prevent further escalation of incidents that have previously caused tensions between national institutions and to promote a peaceful and legal resolution while maintaining good diplomatic relations with Togo.
The dispute, which has persisted for several years, saw notable incidents in 2017 and 2018 when Togolese authorities reportedly prevented Ghanaian vessels from conducting deep-sea seismic activities.
The government emphasized that international arbitration offers a fair and structured path to settling the boundary question, citing Ghana’s past success in resolving a similar maritime dispute with Côte d’Ivoire through legal channels.
“This step…contributes to the continued good relations between our two countries,” the statement added, reflecting Ghana’s commitment to diplomacy and rule-based solutions in resolving regional conflicts.
The arbitration process is expected to follow the mechanisms outlined under UNCLOS, providing both countries an opportunity to present evidence and arguments before an impartial international tribunal.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
