Frontier Dispute Case (Burkina Faso/Mali)

Burkina Faso (then Upper Volta) and Mali both gained independence in 1960; in 1964, the Organization of African Unity adopted a resolution in which member states pledged to respect the frontiers existing at the time of their independence, codifying the ancient principle of uti possidetis. In 1975, Mali's Head of State made a statement suggesting a lack of respect for the existing boundary between the two countries, but the two states later jointly submitted their boundary dispute to a Chamber of the ICJ for resolution.