Monrovia, Liberia – A thorough international boundary study conducted by the US Department of State has shed light on the complicated history and persistent confusion surrounding the Guinea-Liberia border, exposing a legacy of agreements from the colonial era, territorial concessions, and unresolved technical disputes, all of which are contributing to the growing boundary tension between Liberia and Guinea.
The nearly 350-mile border may be traced back to a number of agreements between Liberia and France from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, according to a report published by the Office of the Geographer under the Bureau of Intelligence and Research.
According to the study, these accords profoundly altered Liberia’s geographical breadth and still have an impact on how boundaries are interpreted today. A significant turning point, according to the report, occurred in 1907 when Liberia and France decided to forgo previous theoretical boundaries in favour of natural topographical characteristics like rivers.
A “large strip” of Liberian territory was transferred to what was then French Guinea as a result of this decision, moving the border eastward into the Nimba mountain range. The study states that the current boundary is a complicated combination of mountain peaks, riverbanks, and straight-line sections delineated by pillars erected during a joint Franco-Liberian commission between 1926 and 1929.
The study indicates that the commission’s conclusions were never codified into a full treaty, which leaves potential for ambiguity. Conflicts about whether river limits should follow the Liberian bank, as specified in previous accords, or the mid-channel, commonly known as the thalweg, are one of the main areas of contention found in the study. The situation has been made more difficult by divergent interpretations of river names and places, some of which differ depending on local use.
The study also describes past territorial changes involving neighbouring Sierra Leone, which added another level of complication to the boundary structure by moving the tri-border point eastward in 1911. Despite these difficulties, the research affirms that the boundary’s overall location is recognised, passing through significant rivers like the Makona, Loffa, and Mani as well as important landmarks like Mount Gabigisi and the resource-rich Nimba Range.
The historical findings coincide with continued regional focus on cross-border security between Guinea and Liberia, border management, and control of natural resources. The disclosures show how colonial-era choices continue to influence contemporary African borders, frequently with long-lasting political and economic repercussions, even though no imminent conflict is mentioned.
The Department of State stressed that the study, which offers technical insight rather than policy guidance, is a part of a larger endeavour to document international boundaries worldwide.
Reported by: Prince Saah
Photo credit: GETTY IMAGE
