Guyana looks toward 2026 ICJ hearing date on border controversy with Venezuela

…hopes Caracas will accept court’s final ruling

Guyana has reaffirmed its commitment to a peaceful, rules-based resolution of the border controversy with Venezuela, stating that it is now looking forward to receiving a date for the substantive hearing at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 2026. The country also urged Venezuela to abide by whatever decision the Court hands down – just as Guyana has pledged to do.
The remarks were delivered by Ambassador Trishala Persaud, Guyana’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations, during the UN General Assembly’s debate on the annual report of the ICJ. Her address underscored the critical role of international law at a time when global conflicts continue to destabilise regions and claim thousands of lives.
Ambassador Persaud said Guyana “looks forward to receiving a date for the hearing and hope[s] that Venezuela will accept the decision of the Court,” noting that the ICJ remains the preferred avenue for small states seeking legal and peaceful settlements to international disputes.
After years of failed good offices processes through the United Nations (UN), and based on the recommendation of the then UN Secretary General, Guyana approached the World Court in March 2018, seeking a final and binding settlement of the 1899 Arbitral Award, which determined the land boundary between Guyana and Venezuela.
The case is currently pending before the ICJ, which has already established its jurisdiction to hear the matter. Guyana has already filed two written pleadings on the merits, and Venezuela has filed one. Oral hearings are expected in the first half of 2026, following which the Court will deliberate on the case and issue its final judgement on the merits, which will be binding on the parties.
Guyana has pledged to accept the ICJ’s judgement.

Peaceful mechanisms
In her address, Ambassador Persaud also highlighted the ICJ’s enduring importance against the backdrop of intensifying conflicts in Sudan, Gaza, Haiti, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Ukraine. At a time when the UN Security Council “is failing to deliver on its mandate” to ensure peace and security, she noted, the ICJ has remained a steady source of reasoned and binding judicial decisions.
She pointed out that during the reporting period, 122 states appeared before the Court in contentious cases or advisory proceedings – an indication of continued trust in the ICJ’s authority.
“It is Guyana’s firm belief that there is no dispute between states that cannot be resolved through peaceful means. The International Court of Justice, as the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, continues to make a significant contribution in this regard. The growing number of cases and requests for advisory opinions submitted to the Court on wide-ranging issues demonstrates the confidence that member states continue to have in the Court and their deliberate choice of a peaceful means of dispute settlement, consistent with the core principles and objectives of the UN Charter,” the Ambassador stated.
While most states comply with the court’s decisions, Persaud expressed serious concern about instances of non-compliance. She specifically referenced Israel’s repeated disregard for provisional measures relating to Gaza and the ICJ’s advisory opinion on the legal consequences of its presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
“This blatant disregard and disrespect for the Court cannot be tolerated,” she said, urging the Security Council to be more forceful in encouraging compliance, including using its enforcement powers under Articles 94 and 96 of the UN Charter.
Ambassador Persaud welcomed the General Assembly’s increased requests for advisory opinions on complex global issues. She noted the importance of the Court’s recent opinions on the responsibilities of states in addressing climate change and on the obligations of Israel and other actors in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
Given this rising workload, she echoed the ICJ’s call for greater budgetary support and celebrated the growing participation of developing-country applicants in the Court’s Judicial Fellowship Programme, aided by its Trust Fund.
“As the Court approaches its eightieth anniversary, Guyana remains guided by the principles of the UN Charter and by our faith in the rule of law,” she said.