Topic: 2024-The Situation in Guyana
Country: United States of America
Delegate Name: Samuel Solow
The land now known as Guyana was first seen by Europeans in 1498 when Columbus
sailed past, but decided not to dock. The land was later claimed by the Spanish Empire.
European development of the land and trading posts were not established until 1580 by Dutch
colonizers. While under the control of Britain, gold was discovered in the region in 1879, making
the land much more valuable than it was previously1
. The area of Guyana bordering Venezuela
was discovered to be mineral and timber rich, and the United States supported Venezuela’s claim
to the land in 1895. In February of 1897, the United Kingdom and Venezuela signed the Treaty
of Arbitration in Washington D.C. which set the rules and regulation the Tribunal would need to
follow while drawing the border line. The Tribunal was made up of two British representatives,
two United States representatives (representing the interests of Venezuela), and one Russian
representative (who were thought to be neutral). The Venezuelan Government had the United
States represent the Tribunal after breaking off relations with Great Britain. The Tribunal ruled in
favor of Britain, giving them the majority of the land and all of the gold mines, but control of the
entire Orinoco river was given to Venezuela2
.
Currently, the United States is showing support for Guyana by performing military
demonstrations with the Guyana Defense Force. In 2015, oil was discovered off the shore of
Guyana and since then, more than 30 other gas and oil site discoveries have been made.3 The
United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Guyanese president Mohamed Irfaan Ali that the United States’s support of Guyana is unwavering.4 This was confirmed by Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby who said that the United States has and will “absolutely stand by our unwavering support for Guyana’s sovereignty.”5 The United States remains the largest donor of humanitarian aid to Venezuela despite supporting Guyana in the border conflict6. The specialized military groups that the United States have been sending to Guyana in the past will continue to arrive in 2024. The United States will not waver in its commitment to Guyana as a free and democratic state. The situation on the Guyanese and Venezuela border is a major issue and needs to be addressed in order to find a solution that satisfies both parties, especially since tensions in the region are rising. The discovery of oil in the area has only made the land more valuable and made both of the states want the land more, and the United States will ensure that the land remains under the control of Guyana. Daniel Erickson, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Western Hemisphere at the Pentagon stated that the United States will continue
support for Guyana by helping them create a more organized and better equipped military in
20247
. Erickson also stated that the United States will help Guyana’s military meet the challenge,
especially as the challenge continues to rise.
6 U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of State, Accessed 20 Nov. 2024.
5
“Guyana–Venezuela Crisis (2023–Present).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 12 Nov. 2024
4U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of State, Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
3
“Guyana Becomes Key Contributor to Global Crude Oil Supply Growth – U.S. Energy Information
Administration (EIA).” Guyana Becomes Key Contributor to Global Crude Oil Supply Growth – U.S.
Energy Information Administration (EIA)
2
“Guyana–Venezuela Territorial Dispute.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 11 Oct. 2024,
1 Menke, Jack. “History of Guyana.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., 19 Nov.
2024
