HISTORY

The Malawi-Tanzania border dispute is rooted in the Colonial history of Africa. The Portuguese, as first European people to explore East Africa, controlled most of its coast by 1506 and ruled Zanzibar, present-day mainland Tanzania. Later on, the competition among European nations intensified, and in 1884, Germany claimed Zanzibar since Tanganyika became part of German East Africa.In 1886, the Great Lakes Partition Agreement was settled and Britain established the Nyasaland, present-day Malawi.

In 1890, the Anglo-German Heligoland Agreement was implemented, defining the border as run­ning along the Tanzanian shore.

HISTORY OF THE DISPUTE

German lost its colonies at the end of the First World War as a consequence of the Treaty of Versailles and Britain was awarded Tanganyika. After World War II, Tanganyika and Zanzibar became independent in 1961 and 1963 respectively. They united in 1964 and became the United Republic of Tanzania. The Nyasaland became Malawi when getting independent in 1964. Then, the border between Tanzania and Malawi became an international one.

Nowadays, Malawi claims the boundary line should pass along the Eastern border while Tanzania insists it should pass along the median line as depicted in the map, similar to the international boundary between Malawi and Mozambique. The Heligoland Agreement is, therefore, the origin of the controversy.

Even the name of the lake itself is contested. Malawi alleges the lake is “Lake Malawi” while Tanzania refers to the historical name, “Lake Nyasa”.

For some years the dispute over this border had been pretty calm. Yet, the 1970 discovery of natural resources in the lake elevated the value of it, making this area quite a big issue for both countries: gas and oil would significantly benefit the owner of the lake. To prospect, Malawi awarded a license to a British Company Surestream Petroleum in 2011 and to a Subsidiary of the South African firm Sac Oil in 2012.

In May 2005, the two countries met to discuss the issue, and today the subject is still unresolved.

We will, in further a section, see the different institutions that have been involved in the dispute and its current state.