HGP Nightly News – President Irfaan Ali has used the United Nations stage to send a direct message to Venezuela: abide by the International Court of Justice’s forthcoming ruling on the border controversy.
Ali made the call on Thursday, just one day after Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez urged Guyana to return to bilateral negotiations over the Essequibo.
Addressing the UN General Assembly, Ali maintained that the controversy is now before the World Court after decades of attempts to resolve the matter through other means.
Hearings before the ICJ concluded in May.
“We urge Venezuela to abide by the forthcoming ruling, in accordance with their obligation under the UN Charter, as Guyana will do,” Ali told world leaders.
Rodríguez had taken a different position before the General Assembly a day earlier.
She called for a return to negotiations under the 1966 Geneva Agreement and argued that agreements reached through bilateral negotiations are more enduring than those imposed by external bodies.
Venezuela has long rejected the ICJ’s jurisdiction over the controversy.
Guyana maintains that the 1899 Arbitral Award legally settled the boundary between the two countries and has asked the ICJ to confirm that the award remains valid and binding.
The ICJ previously ruled that it has jurisdiction to hear the case.
Despite the continuing disagreement, Ali told the UN that Guyana hopes the eventual resolution of the controversy could open the door to improved relations with Venezuela.
He said Guyana looks forward to a “new era of neighbourly relations” focused on the development of both countries and the stability and prosperity of the region.
A final ruling in the case is expected later this year or early in 2027.
