UN Security Council urges Guyana, Venezuela to refrain from actions that aggravate border controversy

Apr 17, 2024 Court Stories, Features / Columnists, News

A hearing of the United Nations Security Council

Kaieteur News – The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on Monday urged the governments of Guyana and Venezuela to refrain from any action that will aggravate the border controversy between the two neighbouring states.

The UNSC’s statement on Venezuela’s promulgation of ‘The Organic Law for the Defense of Guyana Esequiba’ was welcomed by the Government of Guyana.

The Organic Law purports to incorporate more than two-thirds of Guyana’s sovereign territory into Venezuela based on a questionable referendum the country held last December to incorporate Guyana’s Essequibo County into Venezuela’s map.

The UNSC met earlier this month. In its statement following the meeting, the members of the Security Council reminded the parties of their obligations to comply with the Order of Provisional Measures issued by the International Court of Justice on December 1 2023.

The Security Council noted that the Court had unanimously ordered that pending a final decision in the case that Venezuela should refrain from taking any action which would modify the situation that currently prevails in the territory in dispute, whereby Guyana administers and exercises control over that area.

Moreover, the UNSC called on “both parties should refrain from any action which might aggravate or extend the dispute before the Court or make it more difficult to resolve.”

The members of the Security Council had previously expressed their concern about the possible escalation of tensions between Venezuela and Guyana.

The Council underlined the importance of maintaining regional peace and security and ensuring that the Latin America and Caribbean region remains a Zone of Peace. In this regard, it commended regional efforts which resulted in the conclusion of the Declaration of Peace and Dialogue of Argyle of 14 December 2023 in which Guyana and Venezuela, inter alia, agreed that any controversy between the two states will be resolved in accordance with international law, including the Geneva Agreement of 1966.

Meanwhile, Guyana welcomed the reaffirmation by members of the Security Council of the importance of upholding the Court’s Order, the principles of respect for each State’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and the prohibition of the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of another state, as enshrined in Article 2 (4) of the United Nations Charter.

The Government of Guyana said that it hopes that the statement by the UNSC will contribute to the maintenance of regional peace and security and to ensuring that Latin America and the Caribbean remains a Zone of Peace.

Guyana said it is committed to the peaceful resolution of the controversy with Venezuela in full accordance with international law through the process of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and expresses its gratitude to the members of the Security Council for their valuable consideration of this issue of great importance for the two countries and the region.