Equatorial Guinea and Gabon have signed a Joint Engagement Agreement under the African Union to implement a ruling by the International Court of Justice on their territorial dispute. …reports Africa Daily News Desk
Equatorial Guinea and Gabon have signed a Joint Engagement Agreement under the auspices of the African Union (AU) to implement the International Court of Justice (ICJ) judgment on their long-running territorial dispute, marking a significant step towards resolving the issue through peaceful means.
The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the 49th Ordinary Session of the AU Executive Council in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, by Equatorial Guinea’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and the Diaspora, Simeon Oyono Esono Angue, and Gabon’s Constitutional Court President, Dieudonné Aba’a Owono.
The signing ceremony was witnessed by African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf and Burundi’s Foreign Minister Edouard Bizimana, who currently chairs the AU Executive Council.
The agreement follows a high-level meeting facilitated by the AU Commission, during which Equatorial Guinea President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo and Gabon President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema reaffirmed their commitment to implementing the ICJ’s May 19, 2025 judgment peacefully under the African Union’s guidance.
To support the implementation process, Youssouf appointed Burundi’s former Foreign Minister Albert Shingiro as his Special Envoy to facilitate dialogue and consultations between the two countries. The consultations culminated in the Joint Engagement Agreement, which establishes a framework for implementing the ICJ ruling in line with international law and the principles of good faith and good neighbourliness.
Addressing the signing ceremony, Youssouf praised both countries for choosing dialogue over confrontation.
“The Agreement reflects a shared commitment to dialogue, cooperation, good neighbourliness and the peaceful resolution of disputes in the spirit of African unity,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of Gabon, Dieudonné Aba’a Owono described the agreement as an important political commitment to preserving regional peace.
“Beyond the legal significance of this Agreement, we view it as an act of mutual trust and a strong political commitment towards the preservation of peace in Central Africa. In a continental context marked by multiple security challenges, this approach demonstrates that dialogue and cooperation remain the most effective instruments for preventing tensions,” he said.
Equatorial Guinea’s Foreign Minister Simeon Oyono Esono Angue said both countries had a shared responsibility to demonstrate that international judicial decisions could be implemented peacefully.
“We bear the historic responsibility of demonstrating that neighbouring States can implement an international judicial decision with composure, responsibility and good faith, while maintaining full respect for both international and African institutions. Africa is watching us. The world is watching us. Our peoples are watching us,” he said.
Burundi’s Foreign Minister Edouard Bizimana said the agreement represented more than a legal settlement.
“The Agreement signed today is much more than a legal instrument. It is a testament to the political maturity of two African Nations that have chosen dialogue over confrontation, cooperation over division, and respect for the rule of law over the use of force,” he said.
The African Union congratulated both countries on reaching the agreement and reiterated its commitment to supporting member states in the peaceful settlement of disputes, strengthening regional stability and advancing the goals of Agenda 2063, the AU’s long-term development blueprint.
