The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea [official website] ruled [text, PDF] Saturday in favor of Ghana in a lengthy maritime dispute between with the Ivory Coast.

The case, which was brought to the international body by Ghana in 2014, was an attempt to clarify the boundary between the two countries, as both countries were vying for oil in the area. The court unanimously ruled [press release] in favor of Ghana, dismissing the claim that Ghana violated the territorial rights of Ivory Coast when it expanded its oil exploration in the area.

The ruling definitively creates a boundary, in the form of a straight line running from the land boarder of the two nations. The ruling came in accordance with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea [materials].

The Ivory Coast has publicly accepted the tribunal’s ruling, with government spokesperson Bruno Kone stating [Africa News report] “What’s important is to preserve our good neighborly relations with Ghana” adding, “this judgement allows for a definitive demarcation of the maritime boundary.”