Neighbors Gabon and Equatorial Guinea are facing off in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) over three long-disputed uninhabited islands in potentially oil-and-gas-rich waters in the region this week.
Gabon asserts its sovereignty over Mbanie, Cocotier, and Conga, citing a 1974 treaty. But Equatorial Guinea disputes the claim, arguing that the treaty is unofficial and incomplete, and accusing Gabon of occupying the islands illegally.
The dispute over the islands dates back to colonial agreements between France and Spain in 1900.
In 2016, after years of disagreement and mediation, the two countries agreed to let the ICJ – the top judicial organ of the UN – settle the matter.
