Topic: 2024-The Situation in Guyana
Country: United Arab Emirates
Delegate Name: Tejasvi Annadurai
Committee: Special Political Committee
Topic: Situation in Guyana
Country: United Arab Emirates
Delegate Name: Tejasvi Annadurai
School: Forest Hills Northern
The long-drawn-out border conflict over the Essequibo region between Venezuela and Guyana originated in agreements made during the colonial era and has been contentious for almost two centuries. It finds its roots in the 1814 treaty between Great Britain and the Kingdom of the Netherlands, transferring the Dutch claims in the area into the hands of the British. This agreement finally led to uncertainty as to the exact boundary between British Guiana and Venezuela because the treaty had not defined it clearly. This was somewhat resolved in 1835 when a British explorer mapped this region. Still, in 1841, Venezuela disputed this map; it wasn’t until 1899 that the matter was settled when the American and European powers ruled in favor of British Guiana. This was done by the Paris Arbitral Award of 1899, although Venezuela accepted this with much reluctance. When Guyana gained its independence in 1966, the dispute broke out once again. The Geneva Agreement of 1966 provided ways for the continuing discussion of the issue without changing the border that exists today. Tensions over the conflict began to rise significantly in 2015 when oil was discovered off the Essequibo region, and Venezuela invoked the agreement of 1966 in laying a claim to the region through the disputed direct vote in 2023. There has been militarization of the situation with both nations reinforcing their military presence on the border to raise tensions, more so given their dependence on the exportation of oil. The UN has been trying to broker the conflict through its highest judiciary body, the ICJ, but with no definitive result so far. Indeed, the UAE has a deep interest in the promotion of peace and stability in resource-rich areas like Essequibo, particularly in view of its economic interests in oil and gas.
The UAE considers the controversy between Venezuela and Guyana as one of the most important questions of regional stability in South America and, consequently, world peace, for it is capable of ratcheting up tensions in an already unstable region. Conflicts should be settled through peaceful diplomatic dialogue, insists the UAE, who said it supported international efforts toward such conciliation of disputes. The UAE has continued to respect a hands-off policy in matters relating to sovereign states, especially if it respects the principles of international law on territorial integrity, coexistence, and settlement of disputes through various mechanisms, especially within the UN system. The UAE has also supported a number of UN-led processes on solution-finding, including those by the International Court of Justice in dealing with boundaries in dispute. While the UAE has not taken a direct approach to this specific controversy, it has underlined the importance of adherence to international law and peaceful means in the settlement of disputes. Nationally, the UAE is committed to stability and security in regions of economic and geopolitical interest, including Latin America. Internationally, it participated in the UN and other multilateral organizations through initiatives that promote peace and development. As part of the United Nations, the UAE has signed declarations reiterating its commitment to the UN Charter and voiced support for resolutions directed toward the peaceful resolution of territorial disputes and conflicts.
The United Arab Emirates calls upon the international community to increase efforts toward a peaceful resolution of the Essequibo dispute by fostering direct negotiations between Venezuela and Guyana with the support of impartial international mediators. The UAE underlines the all-inclusive diplomatic approach, recognizing the territorial claims of both nations, but having the long-term objective of peace and stability in the region. It is our stance that both countries should enter into peaceful dialogue or negotiations to prevent further military escalation and enter constructive negotiations facilitated by the United Nations or another reputable unbiased international organization. The UAE further supports the establishment of an independent commission responsible for investigating historical claims on the border and its legal status in the light of modern international law, upon which a durable agreement can be built. By doing so, the UAE also expresses support for the demilitarization of the area while encouraging the international community to provide technical support to both Guyana and Venezuela in their effort to resolve shared economic interests over the exploitation of oil supplies of the disputed territory. The UAE consequently calls on the global community, more so the UN, to play an active role in ensuring both countries continue in their commitment to dialogue and peaceful resolution of conflicts.
Works Cited
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