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Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Hugh Todd, told the National Assembly Wednesday the International Court of Justice (ICJ) will deliberate on the Guyana/Venezuela controversy over the coming months and a decision is expected by Spring of 2023.
The controversy over the border between Guyana and Venezuela began when Venezuela claimed that the 1899 Arbitral Award was invalid. Guyana is currently seeking a decision from the ICJ to uphold the 1899 Arbitral Award.
The ICJ held public hearings in the case from Thursday 17 to Tuesday 22 November 2022, at the Peace Palace in The Hague, the seat of the Court.
The hearings were devoted to the preliminary objections raised by Venezuela in response to Guyana’s submission of its Memorial on the merits of the case. Guyana brought the matter to the Court in an Application submitted on 29 March 2018.
The Court confirmed its jurisdiction over the case, rejecting Venezuela’s objections, in a Judgment issued on 18 December 2020. On 8 March 2022, Guyana filed its Memorial on the merits of its case against Venezuela in accordance with the Order of 8 March 2021 of the Court.
Venezuela subsequently filed preliminary objections to the admissibility of Guyana’s Application to the Court to determine the validity of the 1899 Arbitral Award on 7 June 2022. In accordance with its rules, the Court suspended the proceedings on the merits until the determination by the Court of the matter of Venezuela’s preliminary objections.
