SubSaharan Africa 415
exploit the disputed area pending the creation of an international agency, and a June
12, 1995, agreement created the agency and discontinued the case in the ICJ.
Coding changes: Start Date changed from April 15, 1990. End Date changed from
May 24, 1990.
MID#3565
Dispute Number: 3565
Date(s): December 12, 1992
Participants: 433 Senegal/404 Guinea-Bissau
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (None)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: Senegalese forces bombarded an alleged rebel base across the border
in Guinea-Bissau, killing several civilians. Guinea-Bissau protested the attack and
denied that the rebels were using the area as a base.
411 Equatorial Guinea/481 Gabon
MID#1340
Dispute Number: 1340
Date(s): August 23, 1972 to November 13, 1972
Participants: 411 Equatorial Guinea/481 Gabon
Outcome (and Settlement): Compromise (Negotiated)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: This dispute centered on sovereignty over several islands in Corisco Bay,
including Islote Mbane, Ile des Cocotiers, and perhaps Isla de Corisco, which were
uninhabited. The border between Gabon and Equatorial Guinea was delimited in the
Franco-Spanish Convention of June 27, 1900, but the Convention was unclear on
the maritime border. Equatorial Guinea laid claim to the islands, but in 1972 Gabon
extended its claimed maritime border to include the islands. In August Gabonese
police established outposts on two uninhabited islands claimed by Equatorial Guinea.
On September 8, Gabon informed the UN secretary-general of the dispute, and on
September 12, Equatorial Guinea called for a UN Security Council meeting to dis-
cuss it. However, at the Summit Conference of East and Central African States, the
disputants were convinced to pursue resolution through mediation. In November, the
presidents of Congo and Zaire as well as the Organization for African Unity (OAU)
administrative secretary-general met with the leaders of Equatorial Guinea and
Gabon, and on November 13, they agreed that an OAU-led border commission would
delimit the maritime boundary.
Coding changes: Start Date changed from June 1972. End Date changed from Sep-
tember 18, 1972.