ABSTRACT
The sedimentary basin of Cote d’Ivoire is formed by an onshore part of approximately 360 km in length and by an offshore area the length of which ranges between 80 and 120 km. The worldwide ranking places Cote d’Ivoire at the 95th rank for the length of its continental shelf and at the 76th rank for the length of its exclusive economic zone. By legislating that way, one can interpret that Cote d’Ivoire's continental shelf under the 1977 legislation was included in the EEZ as a multipurpose maritime area under the Ivorian jurisdiction. This legislation was far from being innocent. The Abidjan Convention to which Cote d’Ivoire is a State Party is a convention addressing a variety of marine issues including the protection of the marine and coastal environment against various sources of pollution. The Maritime Code is the main legal instrument dealing with commercial aspects of maritime transport law.
