Unilateral Exploration and Exploitation of Natural Resources in Disputed Areas: A Note on the Ghana/Côte d’Ivoire Order of 25 April 2015 before the Special Chamber of ITLOS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Unilateral Exploration and Exploitation of Natural Resources in Disputed Areas: A Note on the Ghana/Côte d’Ivoire Order of 25 April 2015 before the Special Chamber of ITLOS

AU - Tanaka, Yoshifumi

PY - 2015/10/2

Y1 - 2015/10/2

N2 - Unilateral exploration and exploitation of natural resources in disputed marine areas create a sensitive issue in the context of maritime delimitations. In the Ghana/Côte d'Ivoire dispute concerning maritime delimitation, Côte d'Ivoire requested that the Special Chamber of International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) prescribe provisional measures to suspend all ongoing oil exploration and exploitation operations conducted by Ghana in the disputed area and to refrain from granting any new permit for oil exploration and exploitation there. In the Order of 2 April 2015, the Special Chamber declined the Côte d'Ivoire's request to prescribe the suspension of operations but did order that Ghana ensure that no new drilling either by Ghana or under its control take place in the disputed area. The Ghana/Côte d'Ivoire Order sheds light on the legal consequence of unilateral exploration and exploitation of natural resources in disputed marine areas.

AB - Unilateral exploration and exploitation of natural resources in disputed marine areas create a sensitive issue in the context of maritime delimitations. In the Ghana/Côte d'Ivoire dispute concerning maritime delimitation, Côte d'Ivoire requested that the Special Chamber of International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) prescribe provisional measures to suspend all ongoing oil exploration and exploitation operations conducted by Ghana in the disputed area and to refrain from granting any new permit for oil exploration and exploitation there. In the Order of 2 April 2015, the Special Chamber declined the Côte d'Ivoire's request to prescribe the suspension of operations but did order that Ghana ensure that no new drilling either by Ghana or under its control take place in the disputed area. The Ghana/Côte d'Ivoire Order sheds light on the legal consequence of unilateral exploration and exploitation of natural resources in disputed marine areas.

U2 - 10.1080/00908320.2015.1089743

DO - 10.1080/00908320.2015.1089743

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0090-8320

VL - 46

SP - 315

EP - 330

JO - Ocean Development and International Law

JF - Ocean Development and International Law

IS - 4

ER -