Guyana to advocate for border resolution – at UN General Assembly

GINA, GUYANA, Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Guyana’s President, David Granger is expected to raise the border controversy with Venezuela with several international bodies at the 71^st session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly.

The annual meeting of 193 countries officially opened today, at the UN’s headquarters in New York.  Foreign Affairs Minister Carl Greenidge said President Granger is expected to raise the issue during his presentation to the General Assembly on September 20.

“He will doubtless also be addressing issues pertaining to the greening of Guyana and Guyana’s controversy as regards the border with Venezuela,” Minister Greenidge said during a round table discussion on the Foreign Policy Fact Files Programme.

The President is also expected to highlight issues of global governance during his presentation. “He will touch upon the problems of global governance, the issues pertaining to how the small and the voiceless can be given the opportunity to have their messages heard, and to have the UN act in a manner that is consistent with their interests,” Minister Greenidge said.

Guyana will also have marginal meetings with Heads of Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers during the General Assembly where a sub-committee is expected to address this country’s border controversy with Venezuela, Greenidge pointed out.

“The Commonwealth Foreign Ministers will in the course of their deliberations be looking at issues they’ve highlighted: problems of governance within the Commonwealth and also problems of borders,” Greenidge explained.

The border issue will again come up during meetings with CARICOM’s Council for Foreign and Community Relation (COFCOR). “COFCOR will also be meeting with the same view, to look at common issues and to ensure that their positions are synchronised,” Greenidge further explained.

Peace and security are major concerns of Guyana during this sitting. Minister Greenidge added that agriculture and issues pertaining to gender are among some of the other focus areas for Guyana at this year’s General Assembly.

Minister Greenidge and a team from his ministry along with Guyana’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Michael Ten-Pow will be in attendance at the General Assembly.