Border dispute refers to disagreements between States concerning the precise placement of one or more boundaries that delimit the territory over which each State exercises sovereignty. This topic is of critical importance to international society because it addresses the fundamental basis for the existence of States as sovereign entities – their territory. The resolution of territorial disputes is therefore a crucial element in the maintenance of global peace and stability.
Throughout history physical terrain, political fiat and conquest have divided the world into independent countries and political entities. This division has resulted in man-made and often arbitrary or even imposed borders that have sometimes become the theatres of bloody fights and wars between antagonistic States.
The complexity of boundary disputes varies from country to country and is dependent on various factors such as a lack of clarity in the terms of previous treaties, geographical ambiguities and the changing political environment. These factors can increase the volatility of disputes and sometimes lead to armed conflict.
In most cases, however, territorial disputes are resolved amicably through negotiation or by a binding decision of an international dispute settlement mechanism. Nevertheless, some remain unresolved to this day despite the fact that they are no longer of great strategic importance for a State. A recent example is the dispute between the cities of Makueni and Taita Taveta regarding the collection of revenue by businesses located on their respective sides of a boundary at the busy highway township of Mtito Andei in Kenya.