President Akufo-Addo has announced plans by government to bestow national honours on the legal team that won the maritime dispute against Cote d’Ivoire.
The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) last month ruled that Ghana did not violate the sovereign right of Cote d’Ivoire by drilling oil around the maritime area share by both countries.
“There is no tacit agreement between the Parties to delimit their territorial sea, exclusive economic zone and continental shelf both within and beyond 200 nm, and rejects Ghana’s claim that Côte d’Ivoire is estopped from objecting to the “customary equidistance boundary,” the judgement read by judge Judge Boualem Bouguetaia, President of the Special Chamber said.
Speaking at a Ceremony at the banquet hall of the Flag Staff House to honour all those involved in the case, president Akufo-Addo said the legal team brought honour and prestige to Ghana hence the need to be recognized.
Describing the victory as nonpartisan, he said “it was the cooperative effort of all them that secured the famous result of 23 September 2017 for our country. Let me express again the gratitude of our nation to all them. And I’m sure at the appropriate time national honours will be duly conferred.”
The president’s disclosures followed the signing of a memorandum of understanding on the implementation of the ITLOS ruling by Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire after a joint commission for the implementation of the ruling was signed by both parties. The MOU was read by Ghana’s foreign affairs minister.
Speaking at the signing ceremony Tuesday President Akufo-Addo said: “If there is no will to make the words on paper live in the lives of people, they will remain exactly that – words on paper. I am very confident that in President Ouattara, I have a partner who is determined to translate the words we find on paper to concrete actions to the benefit of our people.
“That political will, that determination that will move into an area of greater intellect is what will give meaning to the work that we have done these last two days. The benefits will inure not just to our population, but to the wider group of people in our West African region.”
Source: Ghana/Starrfmonline.com/103.5FM
