President Ali confident ICJ will uphold 1899 agreement

May 22 2026

President Dr. Irfaan Ali has expressed confidence that the International Court of Justice (ICJ) will affirm the validity of the 1899 Arbitral Award that established the boundary between Guyana and Venezuela.

Speaking at a press conference today, following recent oral submissions in The Hague, President Ali said he was satisfied with Guyana’s legal representation and maintained that Venezuela’s arguments in the case lacked merit.

He noted that the matter is now before the court for deliberation, with a final judgement expected by the end of 2026. The President expressed hope that the ruling will bring closure to the longstanding border controversy between the two nations.

Guyana has asked the ICJ to confirm that the boundary defined by the 1899 award, and later demarcated under the 1905 agreement, remains the legally binding international border.

The case was initiated in 2018 after referral by the United Nations Secretary-General under the 1966 Geneva Agreement. It centres on the Essequibo region, a vast territory that makes up more than two-thirds of Guyana but is also claimed by Venezuela.

The ICJ has already ruled that it has jurisdiction to hear the matter and that Guyana’s claims are admissible, allowing proceedings on the merits to move forward.