Even as Venezuela continues to reject the notion of a “judicial settlement” over its decades-old claim to territory Guyana secured in an 1899 arbitral award, the lone English speaking country on the South American continent is adamant that a ruling of the court will settle the controversy once and for all.
Guyana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge, in a statement on the filing of the country’s application with the International Court of Justice (ICJ), dated March 29, said, “By means of a judgment of the Court our objective is to put this controversy to a definitive end so Guyana and Venezuela can live together as neighbours without the shadow of this conflict.”
The move to the ICJ follows the decision of UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, to choose the Court as the means for resolving this controversy. On January 30 the new Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, decided that the Good Offices Process had come to an end, and that the Court should now settle the controversy by means of a final and binding decision.
Commenting on the beginning of the judicial process that is expected to lead to a final judgment, Mr. Greenidge said, “This is a great moment for the rule of law worldwide and for the peaceful resolution of conflict in our Caribbean region. Above all it is a great moment for the future prosperity and security of Guyana and for the betterment of our neighbourly relations with our Venezuelan brothers and sisters.”
The Maduro administration expanded its claim to Guyana’s territory after US oil major ExxonMobil discovered crude off the Guyana coast in 2015. A decree issued by Venezuela laid claim to large swaths of Guyana’s maritime space including its oil rich waters following the announcement of the world class Liza discovery.
Since that time, Guyana has moved to have ExxonMobil and its joint venture partners Hess and CNOOC Nexen fast-track development of the Liza field in a deliberate attempt to expedite first oil in 2020.
Guyana remains confident that the ICJ will rule that the 1899 award that effectively delimited the border – and which Venezuela accepted up until 1966 – is valid.
