Topic: 2024-The Situation in Guyana
Country: Bangladesh
Delegate Name: Joshua Foor
SPECPOL
The Situation in Guyana
Bangladesh
Mattawan High School
The situation in Guyana is a complex and long-standing issue with deep historical roots. The dispute centers around the Essequibo region, where Venezuela asserts that certain territories belong to them, while Guyana contends that these lands are rightfully theirs. This boundary conflict originated from colonial-era agreements, involving Spain for Venezuela, and the Netherlands and the United Kingdom for Guyana, and has continued to persist even after both countries gained independence.
There have been many attempts to solve the border issue between the two countries. The 1966 Geneva Agreement between Venezuela and Britain/Guyana aimed to achieve a mutually satisfactory agreement by establishing the creation of a “Mixed Commission” composed of representatives of Venezuela and British Guiana which was given four years to arrive at a final resolution regarding the border controversy, or else choose some other form of peaceful settlement outlined by the UN. In 1970, at the end of these four years, Guyana, Venezuela, and the United Kingdom signed the Port of Spain Protocol to essentially “freeze” parts of the Geneva Agreement for twelve years. In 1982, Venezuela refused to ratify an extension of the Port of Spain Protocol, bringing the original 1966 agreement back into effect. In 1983, Venezuela proposed to make direct negotiations with Guyana. Still, Guyana refused and proposed three alternate routes to reach a deal: the United Nations General Assembly, the United Nations Security Council, or the International Court of Justice, each of which was rejected by Venezuela. Many ways of solving the conflict have been tried, but they failed, and no progress was made in the continuing decades.
The People’s Republic of Bangladesh has been a public supporter of Guyana in the past, and Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister, Abdul Momen, welcomed the ruling of the International Court of Justice in favor of Guyana. Later in the meeting, he said, “I look forward to our usual discussions, camaraderie, and, in accordance with the consistent views of Heads, our expression of unwavering support for Guyana’s territorial integrity.” However, The People’s Republic of Bangladesh’s top priority is a peaceful solution where both sides are content. Overriding Guyana’s sovereignty may be dangerous because The People’s Republic of Bangladesh’s sovereignty was hard-won in the wake of India’s partition. Taking away Guyana’s independence will set a dangerous precedent and go against what the People’s Republic of Bangladesh fought for in the past.
Many people in Bangladesh support the group’s proposal for a peaceful settlement of the dispute between Guyana and Venezuela through the intervention of the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The People’s Republic of Bangladesh supports this option because the ICJ was made to help settle disputes between states and help with border disputes as well.
