Gabon and Equatorial Guinea sign agreement to end decades-long territorial dispute

The agreement comes one year after the International Court of Justice ICJ ruled in favor of Equatorial Guinea regarding the contested Mbanié island and two smaller islets, Cocotiers and Conga. These territories, totaling about thirty hectares, are located in waters believed to be rich in oil. The dispute dates back to the early 1970s. In May 2025, the ICJ, the UN's highest court, sided with Equatorial Guinea.

The agreement was signed by Equatorial Guinea's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Simeón Oyono Esono Angue, and the President of Gabon's Constitutional Council, Dieudonné Aba’a Owono. Both countries committed to respecting the ICJ's decision. Minister Angue stated that the matter is "definitively settled" and urged both nations to "move forward," while Mr. Aba’a Owono emphasized that the agreement ushers in "a new era of cooperation."

Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the AU Commission, also signed the text and welcomed the resolution of the "long-standing border dispute." Historically, a 1900 treaty between colonial powers France and Spain established borders, granting Spain sovereignty over Mbanié, Cocotiers, and Conga. However, Libreville argued that a subsequent 1974 convention between independent Gabon and Equatorial Guinea granted it sovereignty.

The ICJ was asked to rule on the validity of various texts and a