Teamwork and Interaction in the Preparation and Management of the Ghana-Côte D’Ivoire Maritime Boundary Litigation

The preparation and management of a case such as the maritime boundary dispute between Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire is hardly an individual endeavour. To the contrary, in the context of such cases, teamwork is crucial. This chapter provides some insights into the teamwork and interaction between the internal and external teams in the preparation and management of the Ghana-Côte d’Ivoire maritime boundary litigation at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS). The close and constant cooperation between Ghana’s internal and external teams ensured a very high degree of consistency and reliability of Ghana’s position before the Special Chamber at all stages of the proceedings. Such cooperation resulted in the court unanimously finding that Ghana did not violate the sovereign rights of Côte d’Ivoire and provided a single maritime boundary which kept Ghana’s oilfields intact. The soundness of Ghana’s claim to a maritime boundary following an equidistance line was clearly—and unanimously—recognized by the judges. The case proved to be a truly cooperative endeavour on the part of both teams—or, to put things more accurately, both components of the team. It can even safely be said to rank among the best-case scenarios, characterized by a true communion of minds and relationships that endure long after the dispute has been settled.