West African maritime boundary disputes will grow

Significance

MBDs regularly inflame dormant conflicts left over from colonial border-making, particularly as interest in new oil and gas exploitation grows. Such contestation can, in turn, hamper the development of African 'Blue Economies'.

Impacts

• A rise in boundary disputes is likely to amplify existing regional spats and undermine diplomatic relations.
• Regional cooperation initiatives on maritime governance and security could be weakened.
• The development of the Blue Economy sectors including fisheries, tourism, shipping and deep-sea mining could be slowed.