Malawi Protests Tanzania's New Map Over Lake, Takes Lake Dispute To UN, AU

Image source: tzaffairs.org

A new map by Tanzania, which shows it owns half of the disputed Lake Malawi/Lake Nyasa, has stirred a fresh row with Malawi which says that the map is "wrong".

Tensions escalated from 2011 when Malawi began oil exploration activities on the lake. AFP

BBC Africa Live report continues:

Tanzania’s map shows the north-eastern part of the lake being part its territory but Malawi claims full ownership.

Malawi has since asked for intervention from the United Nations, African Union and other international organizations, Malawi's The Nation newspaper reports.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokeswoman Rejoice Shumba said Malawi's has written to key institutions, asking them to disregard Tanzania’s map.

The paper quotes her as saying:

“Government indeed wrote a letter to protest the new map. We did not want some countries and organizations to start recognizing and using the wrong map as advanced by Tanzania”.

For decades, the two countries have failed to resolve the boundary dispute over the lake which is the third largest in Africa and potentially rich in oil and gas.

This is not the first time Malawi has objected to Tanzania’s map.

Tensions escalated from 2011 when Malawi began oil exploration activities on the lake.

Tanzania's government is yet to respond on the new development.