Guyana’s President, Irfaan Ali, has expressed readiness to renew diplomatic engagements with Venezuela following the conclusion of its current election period.
During a June 20 press briefing, President Ali addressed the importance of peaceful dialogue and regional stability while also outlining measures to bolster border security.
“Engagement is an important part, not only for our neighbors but for ensuring that we maintain this region as a zone of peace. We have always said that diplomacy and engagement are critical on every issue we pursue, particularly security issues,” Ali said.
The Argyle agreement, signed on December 14, 2024, by President Ali and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, forms the basis for these diplomatic efforts. The agreement underscores a commitment to the peaceful resolution of the border controversy through diplomatic means.
“President Ali is willing and ready, in keeping with the Argyle Agreement,” Ali noted, signaling that further diplomatic engagements would be deferred until after Venezuela’s elections slated for July 28.
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In addition to diplomatic efforts, President Ali highlighted the importance of regional security and collaborative initiatives to enhance border security.
“Over the past three years, but especially in recent months, with key partners, including France, the UK, the US, CARICOM, and Brazil, we have identified a number of initiatives through which we are collaborating with for example the border security and surveillance systems,” Ali said.
Guyana’s security measures include bolstering the presence of the Guyana Police Force and the Guyana Defence Force in border regions, particularly in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam). There is also enhanced surveillance monitoring at different ports of entry in Guyana, including the Cheddi Jagan International Airport (CJIA). These efforts, Ali said, are aimed at maintaining stability and ensuring the safety of Guyana’s territorial boundaries.
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The heart of this legal battle is the Arbitral Award of 1899, a document that settled the boundary between the two South American nations more than a hundred years ago. In 1962, some 63 years after accepting the boundary, Venezuela claimed the Award was null and void. After years of discussions between the two countries under the United Nations Good Offices Process failed to deliver a resolution, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres referred the matter to the ICJ in 2018. Despite Venezuela’s preference for bilateral negotiations and its non-recognition of the Court’s jurisdiction—a stance rebuffed by a 2020 ICJ ruling confirming its jurisdiction—the process has moved forward.
