Territorial disputes refer to conflicts or disagreement between two or more countries.

1. TERRITORIAL
DISPUTES

2. What is Territorial Disputes?
Territorial disputes refer to conflicts or
disagreements between two or more
states or countries over the ownership,
control, or sovereignty of a particular
piece of land or territory. These disputes
can arise for a variety of reasons, such
as historical claims, natural resources,
cultural or religious significance, or
strategic importance.

3. Territorial disputes can range in severity
from minor disagreements to armed
conflict and can have far-reaching
consequences for the countries involved, as
well as for the stability of the broader
region. In many cases, territorial disputes
can be difficult to resolve, requiring
diplomatic negotiations, legal arbitration,
or even military intervention.

4. Territorial disputes can arise for a variety of
reasons, and they can be classified into several
different types based on their underlying causes
and characteristics. Here are some common types
of territorial disputes:
Border disputes: These disputes arise over the
location and demarcation of borders between
neighboring countries or regions. They may involve
conflicting claims to specific pieces of land or
resources, such as rivers or offshore oil reserves.

5. Secessionist movements: These disputes occur
when a group within a larger country or region
seeks to secede and form its own independent
state. These disputes may be based on ethnic,
linguistic, cultural, or political differences.

6. Resource-based disputes: These disputes arise
over control of natural resources, such as water,
oil, gas, or minerals. Conflicting claims to these
resources can lead to tensions and conflicts
between countries or regions.
Sovereignty disputes: These disputes arise
when two or more countries claim sovereignty
over the same territory. These claims may be
based on historical or legal arguments, and they
can be difficult to resolve

7. Militarized disputes: These are
territorial disputes that involve the use
of military force by one or more parties.
These disputes may escalate into full-
scale wars if diplomatic efforts fail to
resolve them.

8. BOARDER
DISPUTES

9. India and Pakistan:
India and Pakistan have had long-
standing border disputes, particularly
over the region of Kashmir. The two
countries have fought several wars over
the territory since they gained
independence from Britain in 1947.

11. China and India:
China and India have a disputed border
along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the
Himalayas. The two countries have clashed
militarily over the region, most recently in
2020.

13. Israel and Palestine
Israel and Palestine have a long-standing
border dispute over the West Bank and Gaza
Strip. The Israeli government has established
settlements in the West Bank, which are
considered illegal under international law,
and the border between the two territories is
heavily contested.

15. Argentina and Chile
Argentina and Chile have a long-standing dispute over the
border in the Southern Patagonian Ice Field. The region is
rich in natural resources and there have been diplomatic
tensions between the two countries over control of the
area.
The South Patagonian ice field dispute is a border dispute
between Argentina and Chile over the delineation of the
boundary line between the two countries on the Southern
Patagonian Ice Field, a large expanse of glaciers located in
the Patagonian Andes, which is the largest non-polar
continental ice field

17. Secessionist
movements

18. East Timor
A former Portuguese colony in Southeast Asia
that was annexed by Indonesia in 1975. There
was a long and bloody struggle for
independence, which was finally achieved in
2002.

20. The Indonesian occupation was brutal and involved
widespread human rights abuses, including massacres,
forced disappearances, and sexual violence.
International pressure eventually forced Indonesia to
withdraw from East Timor, and in May 2002, East Timor
became an independent country. The independence
process was overseen by the United Nations, which
established a transitional government to help the new
country establish its institutions and develop its
economy. Despite the many challenges that East Timor
has faced since gaining its independence, the country
has made significant progress in building a democratic
society and improving the lives of its people.

21. Scotland
A country within the United Kingdom that
has its own distinct culture and history. In
2014, a referendum was held on Scottish
independence, which was ultimately
defeated, but the movement for
independence continues.

23. Scotland has a long history of political and cultural
distinctiveness from the rest of the United
Kingdom, and the movement for Scottish
independence has been a significant political force
for many years. In 2014, the Scottish National
Party (SNP), which supports Scottish
independence, held a referendum on whether
Scotland should become an independent country.

24. The Scottish independence movement has
significant support in Scotland, particularly
among younger voters, but it also faces
significant challenges. One of the main challenges
is the question of what currency an independent
Scotland would use, as well as other economic
issues related to trade and financial regulation.

25. Overall, the question of Scottish
independence remains a contentious and
divisive issue in Scottish and UK politics,
with strong arguments on both sides.
Whether Scotland will become an
independent country in the future remains
to be seen.

26. Kurdistan
The Kurdistan conflict is a long-standing political
and military struggle between the Kurdish people
and various governments in the Middle East,
including Iraq, Turkey, Syria, and Iran. The
Kurdish people are an ethnic group with a distinct
language and culture, and they have long sought
greater autonomy or independence in the regions
where they live.

28. In Iraq, the Kurdish region is semi-autonomous and has its own
government, military, and parliament, but it remains part of the
Iraqi state. The Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) has been
fighting for Kurdish independence in Turkey since the 1980s,
while the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD) has been
seeking autonomy or independence in Syria.
The push for Kurdish independence has been met with
significant resistance and violence from the governments of
Iraq, Turkey, Syria, and Iran, who view Kurdish separatism as a
threat to their territorial integrity and national security. The
conflict has been marked by violence, human rights abuses, and
displacement of civilians.

29. In September 2017, the Kurdistan Regional
Government (KRG) held a referendum on
independence, which was condemned by the
governments of Iraq, Turkey, and Iran. The Iraqi
government responded by sending its military into the
Kurdish region, taking control of disputed territories
and tightening its grip on the region.
Despite the challenges and setbacks, the Kurdish
people and their supporters continue to push for
greater autonomy or independence. The conflict in
Kurdistan remains a complex and contentious issue,
with no easy solutions in sight.

30. Resource-based
disputes:

31. South China Sea Dispute
China, Vietnam, the Philippines,
Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan all claim
sovereignty over parts of the South
China Sea, which is believed to hold
significant oil and gas reserves.

32. The South China Sea disputes have been shaping
relationships among nations for various decades.
Not only are the states directly involved in the disputes
impacted, but also those outside of it, who have been
trying to reduce the tensions and find agreements on the
multiple overlapping claims. The abundant natural
resources in the area and its strategic geography put the
disputes at the very center of the states’ national
interests. As presented, the disputes are territorial, and
the parties used historical (mostly China) and legal
arguments (Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam)
to support their claims.

33. Throughout the years, there have been attempts
to decrease tensions and solve the SCS conflicts
through bilateral and multilateral agreements.
Due to failure in the maintenance of such
agreements, the Philippines took their dispute
with China to the Permanent Court of Arbitration,
one of the UNCLOS dispute settlement
mechanism. The Tribunal found that the disputed
area fell within the Philippines EEZ, which made
China’s claims legally and historically
unsubstantiated.

34. However, China’s refusal to recognize the
Tribunal’s jurisdiction and final award
highlighted the struggle of international law to
resolve the dispute. Nevertheless, this chapter
presented that compulsory adherence to the
dispute settlement system and the multiple fora
are two of the advantages of the UNCLOS.
However, such are challenged by non-compliance
and the lack of enforcing apparatuses
international law.

35. Nile River Dispute
Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia have been involved in
a long-standing dispute over the Nile River, which
is a vital source of water and electricity for all
three countries. The main point of contention is
Ethiopia's construction of the Grand Ethiopian
Renaissance Dam, which Egypt fears could reduce
its water supply.

36. There was no final ruling or agreement on the
Nile River disputes involving Egypt, Sudan, and
Ethiopia. Negotiations between the three
countries have been ongoing for several years,
with several rounds of talks held under the
auspices of the African Union and with the
involvement of international mediators.

37. In March 2015, the three countries signed a
Declaration of Principles on the GERD, which
included agreements to cooperate on water
resource management, avoid causing significant
harm to downstream countries, and seek peaceful
resolution of disputes. However, negotiations have
been complicated by issues such as water
allocation, environmental concerns, and power
generation.

38. In 2020, Ethiopia began filling the GERD's
reservoir, prompting Egypt to call for
international mediation and negotiations. In July
of that year, the United Nations Security Council
held a meeting on the issue but did not take any
action.

39. In June 2021, Egypt and Sudan submitted a
proposal to the African Union calling for a legally
binding agreement on the GERD's operations
and filling process, but Ethiopia rejected the
proposal, stating that it preferred a non-binding
agreement. The dispute remains unresolved, and
tensions continue to rise, with the potential for
wider implications on regional stability and
development.

40. Sovereignty disputes

41. Western Sahara Conflict
The Western Sahara, a territory in North
Africa, is claimed by both Morocco and the
Polisario Front, a Sahrawi independence
movement. The dispute has lasted for
decades and remains unresolved.

42. Efforts by the United Nations to resolve the conflict
have been ongoing for years, with a series of peace
agreements and negotiations between the parties. In
2020, Morocco announced that it had established
diplomatic relations with Israel, a move that was
seen as a setback for the prospects of a peaceful
resolution of the conflict. The Polisario Front
responded by declaring the end of the ceasefire and
launching attacks on Moroccan forces. The situation
remained tense and unresolved as of my knowledge
cutoff.

44. Militarized
disputes

45. The Ukrainian conflict is an ongoing political
and military dispute that began in 2014 in
Ukraine, following the ousting of the pro-
Russian Ukrainian president, Viktor
Yanukovych. The conflict involves the
Ukrainian government, Russian-backed
separatists in eastern Ukraine, and Russian
military forces.

47. After Yanukovych was removed from power, pro-
Russian separatists in the Donbass region of
eastern Ukraine began to take control of several
cities, declaring independence and forming two
self-proclaimed republics: the Donetsk People's
Republic and the Luhansk People's Republic. The
Ukrainian government responded by launching a
military operation to retake the territories.

48. Territorial disputes have been a long-standing
trend and issue in international relations, and
continue to be a significant challenge for global
peace and stability.
Overall, territorial disputes are likely to remain a
persistent challenge in international relations,
requiring continued efforts to promote peaceful
resolution and prevent conflicts from escalating.

49. THANK YOU