Guyana, Suriname to revive border commission talks

Last Updated on Saturday, 13 September 2025, 23:03 by Denis Chabrol

The Presidents of Guyana and Suriname on Saturday agreed to revive talks on the Corentyne River border and the dispute over the New River Triangle which is internationally recognised as part of this formerly British colony’s territory.

In his statement following their first meeting since recent elections in their countries, President Irfaan Ali said the 7th meeting of the Suriname-Guyana Joint Border Commission will be “before the end of this year”

“We both underscored the importance of maintaining a spirit of good neighborliness in addressing every matter with the foundational pillars of peace, international rule of law and prosperity of our people,” he told reporters after meeting with the Suriname President, Jennifer Geerling-Simons in Nickerie.

He said the co-chairs of the Commission would meet “as soon as possible” and convene the border commission meeting afterwards. Neither of the presidents took questions from the media.

Suriname’s claim to the 6,000 square mile New River Triangle dates back to 1871 when a geologist and explorer discovered the New River, sparking off the now 154-year old controversy over whether the New River or the Kutari River is the origin of the Corentyne River although both are tributaries.

In 1969, Guyana Defence Force (GDF) soldiers evicted armed Surinamese personnel from the New River Triangle after diplomatic efforts had failed to have them withdraw peacefully.

The then Chandrikapersad Santokhi-led administration had in November 2024 protested the GDF’s upgrade of an airstrip in the New River Triangle area.

The then Suriname  Foreign Minister Albert Ramdin had pointed out to the Suriname Ambassador that the presence of Guyanese in the New River Triangle area is not in accordance with the agreements made between the two countries in Chaguaramas, Trinidad and Tobago in 1970.