A UK minister will emphasize the British Government’s support for Guyana during his upcoming meeting with the country’s president. This meeting takes place amidst an ongoing and contentious dispute with Venezuela over a vast border region that is rich in oil and minerals.
David Rutley, the British minister responsible for the Americas and the Caribbean, is set to become the first G7 minister to visit Guyana since tensions escalated following a Venezuelan referendum concerning the Essequibo region.
During his visit, Mr. Rutley will hold discussions with Guyanese President Irfaan Ali and engage with senior government and military officials.
Notably, Guyana and Venezuela, led by President Nicolas Maduro, recently agreed to abstain from using threats or force against each other in this matter.
The longstanding border issue, which spans over a century, has raised concerns about the potential for military conflict. Venezuela asserts that the Essequibo region was part of its territory during the Spanish colonial period and contends that a 1966 Geneva agreement with Britain and the then-British Guiana (now Guyana) invalidated a border established in 1899 by international arbitrators.
Mr. Rutley stated, “I am in Guyana, a fellow Commonwealth member, to express the UK’s unwavering support for our Guyanese friends. The border dispute has been resolved for over 120 years, and the sovereignty of borders must be respected anywhere in the world.”
He further welcomed Venezuela’s recent commitment, made in St. Vincent, to refrain from using force and escalating the situation. Mr. Rutley affirmed that the UK would continue to collaborate with regional partners and international organizations to ensure the territorial integrity of Guyana is upheld.
