ICJ to rule on Venezuela/Guyana border issue on December 18

Dec 12, 2020 News

The Guyana/ Venezuela Border issue lies in the hands of the ICJ.

Kaieteur News – The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is set to deliver its judgment on the question of its jurisdiction in the case concerning the Arbitral Award of 3 October 1899 between Guyana and Venezuela at 3:00 p.m on December 18, 2020.
According to an official communiqué from the ICJ, President of the ICJ, Judge Abdulqawi Ahmed Yusuf, will read out the Court’s decision at the Peace Palace in Hague, Netherlands during which, in view of the current COVID-19 pandemic, only members of the Court and representatives of the parties will be present in the Great Hall of Justice.
Members of the diplomatic corps, the media and public will be able to follow the reading through a live webcast on the Court’s website, as well as on UN Web TV.
Back in June, the ICJ held its public hearings on the question of the court’s jurisdiction on the Arbitral Award. During those hearings, it was noted that representatives of the Venezuela refused to participate in the matter since in their view, the ICJ lacked jurisdiction to adjudicate the border complaint. As such, the Court must determine the preliminary issue before hearing and determining the merits of the case in accordance with international law.
The border issue between Guyana/Venezuela stems from a quarrel that dates back to 1787 and the latest quarrel came after Venezuela’s navy ships invaded in the area on numerous occasions to stop any exploration from taking place in those quarters. A Presidential 2015 decree from President Nicolas Maduro claiming Essequibo and offshore territory was met with protest from Guyana, and it is this dispute that now lies in the hands of the ICJ, a court which was established by the United Nations Charter for a resolving such issues.
The Court is composed of 15 judges elected for a nine-year term by the General Assembly and the Security Council of the United Nations. The seat of the Court is at the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands.
In this regard, the Court has a twofold role: first, to settle, in accordance with international law, through judgments which have binding force and are without appeal for the parties concerned, legal disputes submitted to it by the two States; and, second, to give advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by duly authorized United Nations organs and agencies of the system.

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