Topic:
Country: Venezuela
Delegate Name: Rekshitha Rajeshkumar Sharmila
The existing controversy between Venezuela and Guyana over the border region known as Essequibo has its origin in the 1814 treaty between Great Britain and the Kingdom of the Netherlands, whereby Dutch claims in Guyana were ceded to the colony of British Guiana. The treaty left the border between British Guiana and Venezuela undefined and ambiguous. Consequently, in 1835, a British mission charted the region to define a border that claimed some 30,000 square miles for British Guiana. Venezuela quickly disputed this in 1841; the matter remained unresolved until 1899 when American arbitrators ruled the region belonged to British Guiana—a treaty reluctantly accepted by Venezuela. The issue was revived in 1966 when Guyana attained independence, and then again when oil was found in the Essequibo region in 2015. In 2023, Venezuela annexed the region through a referendum that was internationally questioned, which further raised tensions. While an armed conflict hasn’t erupted, the potential for escalation is high. A peaceful solution is urgent to avoid regional instability.
Venezuela insists that the 1899 arbitration decision was unfair and that the 1966 agreement for further discussion of the border nullified the original ruling. The discovery of oil in the region of Essequibo gives the dispute great economic relevance for a country like Venezuela, at a time when the production of oil is already in decline. In this respect, domestically, Venezuela has pursued its claim through diplomatic and political channels and carried out military maneuvers along the border as a deterrent against Guyanese encroachment. On the international level, it has called for renewed negotiations and solicited support from its regional allies. The government of Venezuela has enacted legislation and publicly announced that it based its claim to the Essequibo region on historical grounds, calling for a solution that should be fair and reasonable, taking into consideration the economic needs and rights of both countries.
Venezuela proposes a mediated negotiation process under the auspices of the United Nations to solve the problem of the Essequibo border. This process should target a mutually beneficial agreement that takes into account the historical claims of Venezuela and the economic interests of Guyana. It is recommended that a joint development zone be established in the Essequibo region, where both countries will share the proceeds from oil exploration and production. It also calls for confidence-building measures to reduce military tensions, such as demilitarized zones and frequent diplomatic dialogues. The international community, for its part, should seek to support these efforts through technical and financial assistance in order to find a peaceful and sustainable solution. The ability to address the very basic origins of this dispute by means of fostering cooperation will be the surest way toward stability and prosperity for both Venezuela and Guyana.
