The government of Ghana has formally notified the Government of Togo of its decision to refer the long-standing maritime boundary dispute between the two nations to international arbitration under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
In a press statement issued on Friday, February 20, 2026, the presidency announced that Ghana has served notice seeking a binding delimitation of the maritime boundary through arbitration.
The statement, signed by Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Spokesperson to the President and Minister for Government Communications, explained that the move follows eight years of bilateral negotiations that have failed to produce a mutually agreed outcome.
“This follows attempts at negotiating a boundary which have gone on for the past eight years but have not resulted in an agreed outcome,” the statement read.
According to the government, Ghana took the step to prevent any further escalation of incidents that have created tensions between institutions of the two countries and to promote an amicable resolution, while preserving the continued good relations between Accra and Lomé.
“Ghana has taken this step in order to avoid an escalation of incidents that have created tensions between some of our institutions and to promote an amicable resolution, thereby contributing to the continued good relations between our two countries,” it added.
The maritime boundary dispute involves the delimitation of overlapping claims in the Atlantic Ocean, particularly in areas related to exclusive economic zones (EEZs), continental shelf rights, and potential resources such as fisheries and hydrocarbons.
Both Ghana and Togo are parties to UNCLOS, the international treaty that provides the legal framework for maritime boundaries and dispute settlement mechanisms, including arbitration under Annex VII.
This development mirrors Ghana’s previous successful approach in the 2014-2017 maritime boundary case with Côte d’Ivoire, which was resolved through a Special Chamber of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) in favour of Ghana.
