Topic: 2024-The Situation in Guyana
Country: Algeria
Delegate Name: Liam Ahmad
Special Political Committee
The Situation in Guyana
The People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria
Liam Ahmad
Forest Hills Eastern High School
Venezuela and Guyana have had a continuous border conflict that can be traced back to an 1814 treaty where the Netherlands gave control over what is now Guyana to Great Britain. This treaty left the border between British Guiana and Venezuela indistinguishable and prone to cause future conflicts. In 1835 a British explorer marked the border granting 30,000 square miles to British Guiana, which Venezuela argued over in 1841. Later, Venezuela reluctantly accepted a agreement made in 1899 that favored British Guiana until Guyana gained independence in 1966, sparking a renewed debate. The situation escalated further in 2015 when vast oil reserves were discovered in the region, estimated to be 8 billion barrels. Their find boosted Guyana’s GDP by 62% in 2022 alone, making it one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. However, Venezuela’s oil production has fallen to roughly 700,000 barrels per day, significantly lower than its 2013 production of 2.3 million barrels. In 2023, Venezuela held a referendum on the annexation of Guyana which caused a rise in attention. The United Nations has held meetings addressing the conflict, stating that they aim to maintain peace and find a diplomatic resolution from both Guyana and Venezuela. Algeria has caught the attention of the situation and is committed to finding a solution that can protect the peace and sovereignty of both nations.
Algeria’s unique history with colonization has led to the country’s strong stance and example of peaceful resolution revolving around mediation and the protection of sovereignty. With that said, Algeria has so far proposed a renewal of mediation by having the UN send a special envoy to overseas peace talks. In addition, Algeria has also suggested that regional organizations such as CARICOM and the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) join the mediation. Furthermore, Algeria promotes a peaceful resolution by actively participating in peace organizations such as The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), The African Union (AU), and The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). While Algeria has not taken direct action on a national level, they have advocated internationally for peaceful stability in international forums such as the United Nations General Assembly and through its membership in the Non-Aligned Movement. Algeria also supports the use of the ICJ in resolving territorial disputes, aligning with the approach taken by Guyana in seeking an ICJ agreement. Finally, Algeria has shown its strive for peace through its many signed resolutions such as: The UN Charter Chapter VI, Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, and UN General Assembly resolutions supporting the jurisdiction and decisions of the ICJ.
the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria strongly suggests that the United Nations should promote mediation and diplomatic resolutions while also advocating for economic cooperation. Algeria also wants to take a back seat approach and let internal communities play a proactive role, while Algeria acts as a meditation observer. More specifically Algeria wants to foster regional collaboration with organizations such as CARICOM and UNASUR and offer economic and development aid to help both countries to provide stability to the economic hardships that contributed to the conflict.
