[ 2015-03-30 ]

Our border is not your home – Ivory Coast questions credibility of Ghana’s maritime map
The Legal team for the Ivory Coast has shot back
at Ghana, arguing that authorities here cannot
continue behaving like they are in their home
territory when they explore oil within the
disputed maritime boundary.

On day two of legal proceedings at the
International Tribunal of the Sea in Hamburg,
Germany, Ivory Coast is questioning the
credibility of data and maps presented by Ghana to
justify their claim over the TEN fields operated
by British company, Tullow Oil.

“Ghana is behaving like they are on home ground
on that area”, an external lawyer for Ivory
Coast fired during the hearing which was monitored
live my Myjoyonline.com.

Ghana yesterday argued that if the court upheld
Ivory Coast’s claim over the oil fields, it
would result in “inherently unquantifiable”
and “incalculable” loss to Ghana.

An external lawyer for Ghana puts Tullow’s
losses to $2.2billion for the investment in the
fields which Ghana argues is about 50% complete.

Ghana also said any decision to take away the oil
field would affect its budget, payment for health
and education of citizens and deprive the country
of revenue of about $2.7billion.

Ghana dismissed the claims by the Ivory Coast that
it will suffer “irreparable” loss if the oil
field were taken from them.

But taking another turn this morning, Ivory Coast
is using Ghana’s own words against her saying
Ivory Coast cannot also calculate their loss
because as Ghana claims the loss is “inherently
unquantifiable”.

If Ghana believes the loss to them will be
“inherently unquantifiable” why would they
suggest that Ivory Coast should be able to
calculate their loss, an external lawyer argued.

According to Ivory Coast, if they were exploring
the fields under dispute, it would have also
“naturally” affect their economy, hence Ghana
cannot claim loss under the circumstance.

The court is on recess. Ghana’s Attorney-General
is expected to have another go later in the
afternoon.

Source - MyjoyOnline

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