THE Guyana Youth Entrepreneurship Chamber (GYEC) has strongly condemned the depiction of Guyanese territory as part of Suriname during the opening ceremony of the Suriname Energy, Oil & Gas Summit and Exhibition (SEOGS) 2026, describing the incident as an unacceptable misrepresentation of Guyana’s internationally recognised borders.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Chamber said a map displayed during the event in Paramaribo portrayed the New River Triangle as belonging to Suriname, despite the territory being a recognised and undisputed part of Guyana.
The business organisation, which is participating in the regional energy conference, said it categorically rejects any attempt to distort Guyana’s territorial boundaries and stands firmly in support of the country’s sovereignty.
“The depiction is inaccurate and unacceptable,” the Chamber stated, noting that the New River Triangle has long been established as Guyanese territory.
GYEC pointed to a binding international agreement reached in 1936 through the establishment of a joint British-Dutch-Brazilian Boundary Commission, which confirmed the tri-junction point between Guyana, Suriname and Brazil. The Chamber further noted that Guyana has exercised continuous sovereignty over the territory for nearly 90 years.
The organisation welcomed the Government of Guyana’s decision to lodge a formal diplomatic protest over the incident and expressed support for the stance taken by several leading private sector bodies.
GYEC commended the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA), the Guyana Oil and Gas Energy Chamber (GOGEC), and the Private Sector Commission (PSC) for publicly addressing the matter and defending Guyana’s territorial integrity.
While reaffirming its commitment to maintaining strong relations between Guyana and Suriname, the Chamber stressed that good neighbourly relations must be founded on mutual respect and adherence to internationally recognised borders.
“Mutual respect and good neighbourly relations must be grounded in honesty, accuracy and respect for internationally recognised territorial boundaries,” the statement said.
The Chamber is also calling on organisers of SEOGS 2026 and other relevant stakeholders to immediately withdraw the erroneous map, issue a formal apology and ensure that all future conference materials accurately reflect Guyana’s territorial integrity.
The controversy has sparked concern among government officials and private sector representatives attending the summit, with several Guyanese organisations voicing objections to the depiction and reiterating support for Guyana’s sovereignty over the New River Triangle.
SEOGS is one of the region’s premier energy conferences, attracting government officials, investors, energy companies and business leaders from across the Caribbean and Latin America.
