UN Security Council: UK eager to work with Guyana as ‘like-minded’ partner

Guyana will serve its two-year term on the United Nations (UN) Security Council starting January 1, 2024 and the United Kingdom (UK) believes it will have another “like-minded” partner to work with.

“It would be good to be working with a like-minded partner and strong friend,” British Minister for the Americas, Caribbean and Overseas Territories David Rutley said on Monday.

Guyana’s border controversy with Venezuela is one matter that the UK has already discussed at the Council level, Rutley said.

He explained that the UK thought it necessary to support Guyana’s territorial integrity while also highlighting “how unacceptable and unjustified” Venezuela’s aggressions and claims are. For the UK, Rutley said, the border between the two countries was settled via the 1899 Arbitral Award.

The border controversy was discussed during an emergency meeting of the Security Council on December 8. Based on reports, the Council agreed that international law and countries’ sovereignty and territorial integrity must be respected.

Beyond the border controversy, the UK looks forward to collaborating on other global issues.

“We welcome having a further friend around that very important table,” Minister Rutley said during an engagement with reporters at the British High Commissioner’s residence in Georgetown on Monday.

The Security Council comprises 15 members including the following five permanent members: China, France, Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

The 10 remaining members are temporary members elected for two-year terms. Algeria, Guyana, Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone and Slovenia were five temporary members elected for the 2024-2025 period.