Guyana seeks fresh “era” of relations with Venezuela after ICJ ruling on border controversy

Last Updated on Thursday, 24 September 2026, 11:05 by Written By Denis Chabrol

President Irfaan Ali on Thursday urged Venezuela to accept the upcoming World Court decision on the validity of the 1899 Arbitral Award of the land boundary and set the stage for a “new era” of relations between the two South American nations.

“Now that we have both participated in the hearings, which were completed in May 2026, we urge Venezuela to abide by the forthcoming ruling, in accordance with their obligation under the UN Charter, as Guyana will do, we look forward to a new era of neighborly relations in the interests of our peoples, the development of our countries, and the stability and prosperity of our region,” he told the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

Dr Ali’s call came less than one day after Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodrigues told the 81st session of the UNGA that her country wanted Guyana to come to the negotiating table as the only pathway to a long-lasting solution to the border controversy over the 160,000 square kilometre Essequibo Region.

“Here, I appeal to the Cooperative Republic of Guyana to resolve the issue and to return to negotiations, as stipulated by the Geneva Agreement. Agreements which last the longest are those that emerge from bilateral negotiations. They last longer and function better than those imposed by external bodies,” she said. 

While Venezuela said the 1966 Geneva Agreement stipulates that there must be a negotiated settlement and that the ICJ had no jurisdiction in the matter, that Spanish-speaking neighbour has participated in all the stages of the case that Guyana took before that judicial body after becoming fed up with 50 years of mediation through the UN Good Offices process.

The UN Secretary General had referred the border controversy to the ICJ in keeping with the Geneva Agreement, and the ICJ subsequently ruled that it had jurisdiction to hear Guyana’s case on the validity of the 1899 award.

Like in her remarks before the ICJ to wrap up Venezuela’s submissions, Ms Rodríguez did not criticise the United States or ExxonMobil as she had often done alongside Maduro.