Guyanese President Irfaan Ali urged Venezuela at the UN General Assembly to respect and abide by the International Court of Justice's pending decision on the oil-rich Essequibo region, which covers more than two-thirds of Guyana. The ICJ has heard the case but has not yet ruled; Venezuela questions the court's jurisdiction and favors renegotiation under the 1966 Geneva Agreement. Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez called for renewed talks and emphasized her country's claim during her UN address.
Guyana Urges Venezuela at UN: Respect ICJ Ruling on Oil-Rich Essequibo
Guyana's President Irfaan Ali, addressing the UN General Assembly, urges Venezuela to honor a forthcoming decision by an international court on an oil-rich territory that Caracas has claimed for decades (ANGELA WEISS)
Guyanese President Irfaan Ali urged Venezuela at the United Nations General Assembly to accept and abide by the forthcoming ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the Essequibo region, an oil-rich territory that Caracas has claimed for decades.
The Essequibo area, where commercial oil discoveries began in 2015, has long been disputed between the two South American neighbors. The region covers more than two-thirds of Guyana's land area and has become geopolitically and economically significant since offshore finds.
The ICJ has already heard arguments from both sides but has not yet issued a judgment. While Venezuela presented its position in The Hague, it has contested the court's jurisdiction in the case.
“We urge Venezuela to abide by the forthcoming ruling in accordance with their obligations under the UN Charter, as Guyana will do,” Ali said in New York. “Guyana has always advanced a peaceful settlement of the controversy in relation to our border with Venezuela.”
Guyana maintains that the boundary stems from an 1899 Arbitration Tribunal award in Paris and wants the ICJ to confirm that border. Venezuela argues the border should be renegotiated under the 1966 Geneva Agreement, reached with the United Kingdom prior to Guyana's independence.
At the General Assembly, Venezuela's Vice President Delcy Rodríguez appealed for renewed talks, urging Guyana to “return to the negotiating table.” During her address she displayed a brooch shaped like Venezuela that included the Essequibo territory. Rodríguez has been a prominent defender of Venezuela's claim in international forums.
Previous calls by Venezuelan leaders for annexation raised international concern about the risk of escalation. However, officials from both countries have at times met and publicly pledged to avoid military confrontation and pursue peaceful, diplomatic channels.
Why the Case Matters
The ICJ ruling will be closely watched: it could settle a long-standing border dispute and clarify rights over valuable natural resources, while also testing the willingness of both governments to accept a judicial decision in a highly charged territorial dispute.
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