“The Commonwealth stands as one and speaks with one voice in our commitment to Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. We are an association of 53 member states worldwide accounting for one quarter of the United Nations membership. Commonwealth member governments, individually and collectively, are also committed to the peaceful resolution of disputes and to the rule of law.”
The Commonwealth Secretary-General, Kamalesh Sharma, made these remarks today on his arrival in Georgetown for meetings with leaders of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana.
“There have been recent developments including a claim by a neighbouring country over Guyana’s land and maritime areas, and the Commonwealth has moved swiftly and appropriately in collective solidarity with Guyana,” the Secretary-General said.
All Commonwealth Foreign Ministers have been kept informed of this development. The Secretary-General has convened the Commonwealth Ministerial Group on Guyana, which is now scheduled to meet in New York in September. This situation affecting Guyana has also been placed on the agenda of the Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers Meeting, which is also taking place in New York in September.
At the last Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, held in Sri Lanka in 2013, the Common-wealth leaders, “…reaffirmed their unequivocal support for the maintenance and preservation of Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
“The Commonwealth remains steadfast in its support for the Government and people of Guyana,” the Secretary-General concluded.