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The Commonwealth Ministerial Group on Guyana (CMGG) was convened on 11 September 2025 by the Commonwealth Secretary General, Honourable Shirley Botchwey.
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The Commonwealth Ministerial Group on Guyana (CMGG) was convened on 11 September 2025 by the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Honourable Shirley Botchwey, at the request of the Government of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, and in accordance with the mandate of the Commonwealth Heads of Government in 1999 to monitor, “further developments in respect of the existing controversy between Guyana and Venezuela.”
Following the meeting, the committee released this concluding statement:
Commonwealth Ministerial Group on Guyana
Concluding Statement
11 September 2025
1. The Commonwealth Ministerial Group on Guyana (CMGG) was convened on 11
September 2025 by the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Honourable Shirley
Botchwey, at the request of the Government of the Co-operative Republic of
Guyana, and in accordance with the mandate of the Commonwealth Heads of
Government in 1999 to monitor,
“further developments in respect of the
existing controversy between Guyana and Venezuela.”
2. The meeting was chaired by H.E. Mr. Md. Touhid Hossain, Foreign Affairs
Adviser of the interim Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh,
and attended by Foreign Ministers from Antigua and Barbuda, Canada and
Jamaica and representatives from Guyana and the United Kingdom.
3. The Ministerial Group congratulated Canada, Guyana and Jamaica on their
recently held elections.
4. The Group acknowledged that Guyana’s cabinet appointments are yet to be
made and welcomed the representative from Guyana, Ambassador Ivan
Evelyn.
5. The Ministerial Group received an update from Ambassador Ivan Evelyn,
representing the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of
the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, regarding the controversy over the
validity of the Arbitral Award of 1899, and in particular, certain developments
since the last CMGG meeting in September 2024.
6. The Group recognised and commended Guyana’s exemplary conduct, in
particular its restraint and adherence to international law.
7. The Group reiterated its recognition of the Judgement of 18 December 2020
of the International Court of Justice, wherein the Court found that, pursuant
to the case filed by Guyana in the International Court of Justice on 29 March
2018, the Court,
“has jurisdiction to entertain the Application filed by the
Co-operative Republic of Guyana on 29 March 2018 in so far as it concerns the
validity of the Arbitral Award of 3 October 1899 and the related question ofthe definitive settlement of the land boundary dispute between the Co-
operative Republic of Guyana and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela”.
8. The Group encouraged the parties to continue to engage with the International
Court of Justice as the Court proceeds in 2026 to the oral hearings on the
merits of the case. The Group recognised that Guyana has pledged to accept
the Court’s judgement. The Group urged Venezuela to also accept the final
ruling of the Court.
9. The Group noted with concern the reports from Guyana on the developments
in Venezuela since the last CMGG meeting, including the holding of elections
in Venezuela related to the Essequibo Region, contrary to the International
Court of Justice Order of 1 May 2025; and the Group condemned the
provocative action taken by a Venezuelan naval vessel in Guyana’s maritime
waters on 1 March 2025.
10. The Group encouraged Guyana and Venezuela to continue the work begun with
the 14 December 2023 Argyle Agreement to improve relations between the
two nations and to find a peaceful resolution to the controversy.
11. The Ministerial Group commended the ongoing Good Offices of the Secretary-
General to engage partners to support peace and stability in the Caribbean
region. The Group urged the Secretary-General to continue to use her Good
Offices to encourage all parties to accept the jurisdiction of the International
Court of Justice.
12. The Group reiterated its firm and steadfast support for the International Court
of Justice process as the appropriate and lawful means to address the matter
under international law. Similarly, the Group confirmed its support for the
preservation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Guyana, for
Guyana’s right to self-defence, and for the unobstructed exercise of its right
to develop the entirety of its territory for the benefit of its people.
13. The Group reaffirmed and called on all to respect the sovereignty and
territorial integrity of all nations as an enduring value.
14. The Group agreed to inform all Commonwealth Member Governments of the
outcome of this meeting and to present a Report to the Commonwealth
Foreign Affairs Ministers’ Meeting later this month.
11 September 2025
The members of the Group, as constituted following the Commonwealth Heads of
Government Meeting held in Durban in 1999, are: Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh,
Canada, Guyana, Jamaica, South Africa, and the United Kingdom
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