Guyana has approached the International Court of Justice stating that nearly 70% of its territory is at stake in a long-standing border dispute with Venezuela. The contested area is the resource-rich Essequibo region, known for gold, diamonds, timber and offshore oil reserves.
The dispute dates back to colonial times and centres on the validity of an 1899 arbitration award that granted the territory to British Guiana (now Guyana). While Guyana seeks legal affirmation from the ICJ, Venezuela contests the court’s jurisdiction and prefers bilateral negotiations.
APSC Relevance: International relations, boundary disputes and resource geopolitics.
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