Cameroon, Nigeria: A Territorial Transfer, With Strings Attached

Nigeria handed over the disputed Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon on Aug. 14 in accordance with a 2002 ruling by the International Court of Justice. The move comes as a surprise, as the Nigerians were not expected to give up their claim. While Nigeria may have ceded control of onshore territory, it will hold the upper hand over offshore oil and natural gas deposits as the two countries will now begin negotiating a joint development zone to tap unexplored fields in the region.