Guyana is committed to diplomacy and the international rule of law in the border controversy with neighboring Venezuela but is investing in its military.
Guyana President Dr. Irfaan Ali explained that diplomacy is his country’s first line of defence.
In an interview with the BBC, he stated that Guyana would honour and respect the outcome of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling on the case, reaffirming his country’s commitment to international institutions and the rule of law.
However, Ali disclosed that the country was also investing in its military.
He told the BBC’s Stephen Sackur that Guyana recognises it is dealing with an aggressive neighbour that had made certain threats.
President Ali, in recognition of the challenges posed by an aggressive neighbour, revealed that Guyana is bolstering its military capabilities, not as an offensive measure, but as a defensive strategy to protect its sovereignty and interests.
“But more than that, we have aligned ourselves with countries and a region that are on the side of Guyana,” Ali observed.
He recalled that the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Canada had voiced support for Guyana’s sovereignty.
“So we are working on the basis of an international coalition that would not allow this region to be destabilised by any action by Venezuela to overrun our territorial integrity or our borders,” Ali asserted.
He emphasised that Guyana would call on every force and friend for help in protecting its territorial integrity if anyone attempted to destabilise or invade the South American country.
Venezuela claims over two-thirds of Guyana’s territory in the resource-rich Essequibo region.
Recently, lawmakers allied with Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro approved the creation of a new state in the disputed region.
Maduro and Guyana’s President Ali met in Saint Vincent in December last year, and the two sides issued an 11-point declaration.
The declaration included a commitment to pursuing good neighborliness, peaceful coexistence, and the unity of Latin America and the Caribbean.
I couldn’t agree more. Invest in military preparedness as a deterrent while pursuing peace through diplomacy. A substantial amount of resources that she should go into infrastructural development, health, education, research and uplifting living standards will now be appropriated to national defense/security. Guyana needs to take threats by Venezuela seriously
Yes, Peace is important for us in the Region !
Si Vis Pacem para bellum: if you want peace prepare for war. This old adage stands true today as it was from it’s creation. There will be some megalomaniac somewhere, with grandiose ideas of greatness, always seeking to gain through greed and romanticised nonesense to take from you that which they think you don’t deserve. The history of humanity is plagued with these idiots who think that they can invade, annex, occupy through violent means another’s territory. From the beginnings of man’s existence, from his caveman origins, he has always tried to fend off invaders and wild beasts for his survival… sadly this has not changed much despite the vast progress man has made as a species. We are still backward and feral on an animal level…. look at the history of humanity and you will quickly see that vast number of wars fought for either territory or resources. Guyana is wise to heed such warnings….if you want peace prepare for war….