Oral hearings in Guyana’s border case against Venezuela at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) will begin on May 4, in what has been described as one of the most significant cases in the country’s history.

Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs Anil Nandlall said during his weekly Issues in the News podcast that hearings are scheduled to run from May 4 to 8 and are expected to continue into the following week.

The case was brought by Guyana before the ICJ in 2018, seeking confirmation that the 1899 Arbitral Award, which established the boundary between the two countries, is valid and legally binding.

The award was accepted for more than 60 years before Venezuela declared it invalid in 1962 and renewed its claim to the territory.

The matter is being heard under the 1966 Geneva Agreement, which provides for a peaceful resolution of the controversy. After years of unsuccessful bilateral efforts, the dispute was referred to the ICJ by the United Nations Secretary-General.

The court has already ruled that it has jurisdiction to hear the case, paving the way for hearings on the merits, during which both countries are expected to present their full legal arguments.

Guyana has maintained that the judicial process is the only legitimate avenue for resolving the controversy, while Venezuela has historically challenged the court’s authority, though it has since participated by filing written submissions.

The upcoming hearings will follow the completion of written pleadings in 2025.

A final ruling by the court is expected to be binding on both countries and could bring legal clarity to the decades-old border controversy.