The Legal Status of the Area: Common Heritage of Mankind and African States

Abstract

The Common Heritage of Mankind (CHM) is a relatively novel concept in international law and international relations. Payoyo who prefers the phrase “the common heritage of humanity” holds the view that the assertion by the LOSC that the Area and the resources therein are CHM marked “a genuine confluence of law, politics, history and nature”.1 This chapter would seek to explore the concept in relation to African States and the Area. It seeks to introduce a distinctive African flavour to the discourse of this interesting and rather complex concept that applies not only to the Area but also to other global commons.2