Joint management of shared resources as an alternative approach for addressing maritime boundary disputes : the Kenya-Somalia maritime boundary dispute

Socio-economic security has motivated African states to explore natural resources in areas of overlapping maritime claims. However, Africa’s maritime boundaries are characterized by unresolved disputes. Resolution of these disputes is time-consuming, expensive and can undermine the state’s ability to exploit natural resources. The Somalia and Kenya maritime dispute under litigation with the International Court of Justice demonstrates the continental commitment to peaceful resolution. Citing cases from across Africa, we discuss outright delimitation or Joint Management Zones (JMZs) as means to address disputes over shared resources, particularly transboundary fisheries, which have received little attention. Reframing the Kenya-Somalia maritime dispute resolution process as cooperation over fisheries management will have spill-over effects into greater diplomatic relations. Fish do not abide by maritime boundaries. As such, we posit that the peaceful resolution of maritime boundary disputes lies in Africa’s ability to consider settlements by way of JMZs to motivate sustainable use of natural resources.PostprintPeer reviewe

Assessment of the activity of the mbalmayo thermal power plant on groundwater quality

Abstract Groundwater is essential for daily life in Cameroon, but pollution sources can harm its quality through infiltration and dispersal of contaminants in the ground. This study focuses on estimating groundwater quality near the Mbalmayo Thermal Power Plant using a predictive model combining genetic algorithms and neural networks. The genetic algorithms were used to optimize the objective function, while neural networks learned the data to predict concentration values. From January 2017 to December 2021, several moisture content values were experimentally determined using collected dried and weighed soil samples. The results showed that moisture content varied from 1 to 82%. During this study period, the model takes into account the water content of the soil, porosity and permeability which have the same effect on the concentration level of the fuel oil in the groundwater. The average concentration of fuel oil was below 50 mg/l, which is the World Health Organisation standard However, there is a risk of groundwater pollution by fuel oil in the event of heavy activity at the Mbalmayo thermal power plant in the 0-445 m range. For protection during this period, the results show that the installation of populations on a perimeter located beyond 445 m and the construction of a water purification station are recommended. The results are decision support tools for the authorities