The International Court of Justice (ICJ) today announced that it will rule on Friday, December 1st on Guyana’s request for provisional measures in relation to Venezuela’s referendum on Essequibo to be held on December 3rd.
Guyana has argued that Venezuela’s referendum if held as is could be tantamount to the annexation of its territory and therefore wants several of the questions to be asked struck.
Both Guyana and Venezuela made presentations before the ICJ in The Hague earlier this month.
Venezuela’s decision to hold the referendum has ratcheted up tensions to unprecedented levels which has seen threatening military movements on Caracas’ side of the border with belligerent statements aimed at Georgetown.
Anxieties have risen in Guyana’s border communities and the government here has since mounted visits to soothe fears. President Irfaan Ali spearheaded one such last week. The Guyana Defence Force has also been engaged in defence diplomacy with friendly countries.
A press release issued by the court today follows:
Arbitral Award of 3 October 1899 (Guyana v. Venezuela)
Request for the indication of provisional measures
The Court to deliver its Order on Friday 1 December 2023
THE HAGUE, 28 November 2023.
On Friday 1 December 2023, the International Court of Justice will deliver its Order on the Request for the indication of provisional measures submitted by Guyana on 30 October 2023 (see press release No. 2023/58) in the case concerning Arbitral Award of 3 October 1899 (Guyana v. Venezuela).
A public sitting will take place at 3 p.m. at the Peace Palace in The Hague, during which Judge Joan E. Donoghue, President of the Court, will read the Court’s Order.
It is recalled that on 29 March 2018, Guyana filed an Application instituting proceedings against Venezuela. In its Application, Guyana requests the Court “to confirm the legal validity and binding effect of the Award regarding the Boundary between the Colony of British Guiana and the United States of Venezuela, of 3 October 1899”.
