PRESIDENT, Dr Irfaan Ali has said the strict application of international law has been Guyana’s ‘armour and shield’ in the face of aggression fuelled by Venezuela’s territorial claims to the country’s resource-rich Essequibo region.
The Guyanese Head of State on Wednesday joined hundreds of world leaders at the 79th Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations in New York, issuing a call for reformation of the UN’s Security Council.

Dr Ali echoed that the UN is a special responsibility for the security of small states, highlighting that these nations look to multilateralism and the rule of international law to protect them from foreign aggression.
“Guyana is a small state that has had to contend with aggression from the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela for all 58 years of our nationhood. International law and its strict application have been our armour and our shield in our determination to protect ourselves from this aggression,” the President said.
He reminded the assembly that the border between Guyana and Venezuela was fully, finally and perfectly settled in an 1899 award by an International Tribunal.

“Venezuela was fully represented in that tribunal, whose award it proclaimed in its own Congress and welcomed for more than six decades before reopening the issue on the eve of Guyana’s independence, claiming two-thirds of our territory.”
Guyana brought the controversy, which was once again initiated by Venezuela before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in compliance with a ruling made by the UN Secretary General and in line with a stance to resolve the matter amicably and legally.
And following intensified acts of aggression by Venezuela, the ICJ in 2023 issued provisional measures : “ Pending a final decision in the case, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela shall refrain from taking any action which would modify the situation that currently prevails in the territory in dispute, whereby the Co-operative Republic of Guyana administers and exercises control over the area.”

WRITTEN PLEADINGS
This newspaper had previously reported that the President of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Judge Nawaf Salam  had convened a crucial meeting with representatives of Guyana and Venezuela to discuss the next procedural steps in the ongoing controversy over the Arbitral Award of October 3, 1899.

Leading Guyana’s delegation was Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, SC, MP; Agent for Guyana at the ICJ, Carl B Greenidge; Philippe Sands and Pierre D’Argent, Legal Counsel; and Lloyd Gunraj, Chargé d’Affaires at the Embassy of Guyana to the Kingdom of Belgium.
Samuel Reinaldo Moncada Acosta, the Agent for Venezuela to the ICJ, led the Venezuelan team, which included a delegation and legal advisers.
Guyana’s Attorney General had explained that the focus was on the necessity and timing of a second round of written pleadings, following Venezuela’s submission of its Counter-Memorial on April 8, 2024.
During the meeting, both nations agreed that additional written pleadings were required to advance the case. Guyana suggested a six-month period from the date of Venezuela’s Counter-Memorial submission, setting an initial deadline of October 8, 2024, for its reply.
However, Guyana expressed flexibility in extending this deadline to late October, contingent upon the court’s schedule.

Venezuela, on the other hand, requested a 12-month period from Guyana’s October reply to prepare its rejoinder, citing the complexity of the case
President Ali, on Wednesday, noted that he welcomed its western neighbour’s participation in the court.
“We welcome Venezuela’s decision to participate in the court’s proceedings, and express the hope that Venezuela will accept the decision of the court, as Guyana has long pledged to do.”
He pointed out too that Guyana’s stance remains one that is supportive of the rule of law.

“I reaffirm Guyana’s unwavering commitment to a peaceful resolution of this long-standing controversy in full conformity with international law and the principles set forth in the United Nations Charter.”
The genesis of the border controversy goes back to the 1899 Arbitral Award, a landmark decision that delineated the boundary between Guyana and Venezuela.
Despite the historic arbitration, tensions have persisted, with Venezuela repeatedly challenging the validity of the award.
In 2018, Guyana took a decisive step by approaching the ICJ, seeking affirmation of the award’s legitimacy.

Venezuela initially claimed that the ICJ lacked jurisdiction, a contention flatly rejected by the World Court in a crucial ruling in December 2020. The door was thus opened for the ICJ to delve into the merits of the substantive case.
Lawmakers aligned with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro have approved the creation of a new state “Guayana Esequiba,” in Guyana’s resource-rich Essequibo region. Venezuela, last year, had intensified claims to two-thirds of Guyana’s Essequibo region.