ICJ to hear Guyana-Venezuela border case starting May 4

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) will begin oral hearings on Monday, May 4, in the long-standing border controversy between Guyana and Venezuela, a case widely regarded as one of the most significant in the country’s history.

Speaking on his weekly podcast “Issues in the News,” Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Mohabir Anil Nandlall, SC, revealed that the hearing will take place from May 4 to 8, and it is anticipated to be carried over to the following week.

The hearings mark a critical stage in Guyana’s pursuit of a final, peaceful, and legally binding resolution to the decades-old dispute over the Essequibo region, which comprises more than two-thirds of Guyana’s landmass.

Guyana moved to the ICJ in 2018, seeking confirmation that the 1899 Arbitral Award, which definitively established the boundary between the two countries, is valid and legally binding.

That award was accepted and respected for over 60 years before Venezuela, in 1962, declared it invalid and renewed claims to the territory.

The case is being heard under the framework of the 1966 Geneva Agreement, which provides for a peaceful resolution of the controversy.

After years of failed bilateral efforts, the matter was referred to the ICJ by the United Nations Secretary-General.

In a major development, the ICJ has already ruled that it has jurisdiction to hear the case, clearing the way for the current hearings on the merits, where both countries will present full legal arguments.

Guyana has consistently maintained that the judicial process is the only legitimate path to resolving the controversy, while Venezuela has historically challenged the court’s authority, though it has since participated in filing written submissions.

The upcoming hearings will see both sides present oral arguments following the completion of written pleadings in 2025.

A final judgment from the court is expected to be binding on both countries and will bring legal clarity to the longstanding issue. [DPI]