Regional cooperation over Gulf of Guinea resources

Adusu, Sylvia and Summers, James (2020) Regional cooperation over Gulf of Guinea resources. PhD thesis, Lancaster University.

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Abstract

This thesis explores how states bordering the Gulf of Guinea can cooperate in the exploitation, conservation and management of the region’s marine resources. Within the framework of international law generally, and the United Nations law of the Sea Convention (UNCLOS) in particular, the thesis demonstrates the legal basis for cooperation in four key areas: - maritime boundary delimitation, exploitation of non- living marine resources of the seabed, protection of the marine environment from pollution arising out of such exploitation and the conservation and management of the living marine resources. The thesis applies a positivist analysis of international law, following a law-in-context approach. The key findings relate to challenges to the states’ duties to cooperate in the areas of delimiting their maritime boundaries due to the many maritime boundary disputes in the area and the lack of cooperative regimes for joint development of non-living resources. Another challenge identified is inadequate regional and national frameworks for the protection of the marine environment from pollution arising out of exploitation as well as for dealing with issues of liability from pollution incidents. Cooperation in the conservation and management of marine living resources is also insufficient. The thesis recommends regional and sub-regional cooperation by means of appropriate regional, sub-regional and national mechanisms.