Order of 8 March 2021

Document Number
171-20210308-ORD-01-00-EN
Document Type
Date of the Document
Document File
Bilingual Document File

INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE
REPORTS OF JUDGMENTS,
ADVISORY OPINIONS AND ORDERS
ARBITRAL AWARD OF 3 OCTOBER 1899
(GUYANA v. VENEZUELA)
ORDER OF 8 MARCH 2021
2021
COUR INTERNATIONALE DE JUSTICE
RECUEIL DES ARRÊTS,
AVIS CONSULTATIFS ET ORDONNANCES
SENTENCE ARBITRALE DU 3 OCTOBRE 1899
(GUYANA c. VENEZUELA)
ORDONNANCE DU 8 MARS 2021
Official citation:
Arbitral Award of 3 October 1899
(Guyana v. Venezuela), Order of 8 March 2021,
I.C.J. Reports 2021, p. 188
Mode officiel de citation :
Sentence arbitrale du 3 octobre 1899
(Guyana c. Venezuela), ordonnance du 8 mars 2021,
C.I.J. Recueil 2021, p. 188
ISSN 0074-4441
ISBN 978-92-1-003884-3
Sales number
No de vente: 1222
© 2022 ICJ/CIJ, United Nations/Nations Unies
All rights reserved/Tous droits réservés
Printed in France/Imprimé en France
ARBITRAL AWARD OF 3 OCTOBER 1899
(GUYANA v. VENEZUELA)
SENTENCE ARBITRALE DU 3 OCTOBRE 1899
(GUYANA c. VENEZUELA)
8 MARCH 2021
ORDER
8 MARS 2021
ORDONNANCE
188
4
INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE
YEAR 2021
8 March 2021
ARBITRAL AWARD OF 3 OCTOBER 1899
(GUYANA v. VENEZUELA)
ORDER
Present: President Donoghue; Vice‑President Gevorgian; Judges
Tomka, Abraham, Bennouna, Cançado Trindade,
Yusuf, Xue, Sebutinde, Bhandari, Robinson, Crawford,
Salam, Iwasawa, Nolte; Judge ad hoc Charlesworth;
Registrar Gautier.
The International Court of Justice,
Composed as above,
After deliberation,
Having regard to Article 48 of the Statute of the Court and to Articles
44 and 79ter, paragraph 5, of the Rules of Court,
Having regard to the Application filed in the Registry of the Court on
29 March 2018, whereby the Government of the Co-operative
Republic
of Guyana (hereinafter “Guyana”) instituted proceedings against the
Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (hereinafter “Venezuela”) with respect
to a dispute concerning “the legal validity and binding effect of the Award
regarding the Boundary between the Colony of British Guiana and the
United States of Venezuela, of 3 October 1899”,
Having regard to the fact that, on 18 June 2018, at a meeting held by
the President of the Court with the representatives of the Parties, the
Vice‑President of Venezuela, H.E. Ms Delcy Rodríguez Gómez, stated
that her Government considered that the Court manifestly lacked juris-
2021
8 March
General List
No. 171
189 arbitral award of 3 october 1899 (ord. 8 III 21)
5
diction to hear the case and that Venezuela had decided not to participate
in the proceedings, and handed to the President of the Court a letter dated
18 June 2018 from the President of Venezuela, H.E. Mr. Nicolás Maduro
Moros, communicating the position of Venezuela,
Having regard to the Order dated 19 June 2018, by which the Court
held, pursuant to Article 79, paragraph 2, of the Rules of Court of
14 April 1978 as amended on 1 February 2001, that in the circumstances
of the case, it was necessary first of all to resolve the question of its jurisdiction,
and that this question should accordingly be separately determined
before any proceedings on the merits, and fixed 19 November 2018
and 18 April 2019 as the respective time‑limits for the filing of a Memorial
by Guyana and a Counter-Memorial
by Venezuela on the question of
jurisdiction,
Having regard to the Memorial of Guyana on the question of the jurisdiction
of the Court, which was filed within the time-limit thus fixed,
Having regard to the fact that Venezuela did not file a Counter-Memorial,
but that on 28 November 2019, it submitted to the Court a
document entitled “Memorandum of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
on the Application filed before the International Court of Justice
by the Cooperative Republic of Guyana on March 29th, 2018”,
Having regard to a letter dated 10 February 2020, whereby Venezuela
indicated that it did not intend to attend the oral proceedings on the
question of the jurisdiction of the Court,
Having regard to a public hearing held on 30 June 2020 by video link,
at which Guyana presented its oral arguments and submissions on the
question of the jurisdiction of the Court;
Whereas, by its Judgment dated 18 December 2020, the Court found
that it has jurisdiction to entertain the Application filed by 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 of the definitive settlement of
the land boundary dispute between Guyana and Venezuela;
Whereas time-limits
now have to be fixed for the written proceedings
on the merits;
Whereas, at a meeting held by video link by the President of the Court
with the representatives of the Parties on 26 February 2021, pursuant to
Article 31 of the Rules of Court, Guyana requested a period of nine
months, from the date of the Order fixing the time‑limits, for the preparation
of its Memorial;
Whereas, at the same meeting, Venezuela expressed its disagreement
with the Judgment rendered by the Court on 18 December 2020, arguing
that the “Agreement to Resolve the Controversy between Venezuela and
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland over the
Frontier between Venezuela and British Guiana” signed at Geneva on
190 arbitral award of 3 october 1899 (ord. 8 III 21)
6
17 February 1966 could not afford a basis for the Court’s jurisdiction as
it provided that the controversy had to be amicably resolved in a manner
acceptable to both parties;
Whereas Venezuela further indicated that it has not yet decided on its
position in relation to the proceedings and that, in light of the alleged
serious implications of the Court’s Judgment of 18 December 2020 for its
sovereignty, it was required by its Constitution to conduct popular consultations
on the matter, which would require a significant amount of
time, and that it also faced a number of other difficulties in preparing its
pleading; and whereas Venezuela therefore requested a period of twelve to
eighteen months for the preparation of its Counter-Memorial;
Whereas, in reply to the views expressed by Venezuela, Guyana indicated
that a period of twelve months for the filing of each Party’s written
pleading would also be acceptable;
Taking into account the views of the Parties,
Fixes the following time-limits
for the filing of written pleadings on the
merits:
8 March 2022 for the Memorial of the Co-operative
Republic of Guyana;
8 March 2023 for the Counter-Memorial
of the Bolivarian Republic of
Venezuela; and
Reserves the subsequent procedure for further decision.
Done in English and in French, the English text being authoritative, at
the Peace Palace, The Hague, this eighth day of March, two thousand
and twenty-one, in three copies, one of which will be placed in the archives
of the Court and the others transmitted to the Government of the
Co‑operative Republic of Guyana and the Government of the Bolivarian
Republic of Venezuela, respectively.
(Signed) Joan E. Donoghue,
President.
(Signed) Philippe Gautier,
Registrar.

Bilingual Content

INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE
REPORTS OF JUDGMENTS,
ADVISORY OPINIONS AND ORDERS
ARBITRAL AWARD OF 3 OCTOBER 1899
(GUYANA v. VENEZUELA)
ORDER OF 8 MARCH 2021
2021
COUR INTERNATIONALE DE JUSTICE
RECUEIL DES ARRÊTS,
AVIS CONSULTATIFS ET ORDONNANCES
SENTENCE ARBITRALE DU 3 OCTOBRE 1899
(GUYANA c. VENEZUELA)
ORDONNANCE DU 8 MARS 2021
Official citation:
Arbitral Award of 3 October 1899
(Guyana v. Venezuela), Order of 8 March 2021,
I.C.J. Reports 2021, p. 188
Mode officiel de citation :
Sentence arbitrale du 3 octobre 1899
(Guyana c. Venezuela), ordonnance du 8 mars 2021,
C.I.J. Recueil 2021, p. 188
ISSN 0074-4441
ISBN 978-92-1-003884-3
Sales number
No de vente: 1222
© 2022 ICJ/CIJ, United Nations/Nations Unies
All rights reserved/Tous droits réservés
Printed in France/Imprimé en France
ARBITRAL AWARD OF 3 OCTOBER 1899
(GUYANA v. VENEZUELA)
SENTENCE ARBITRALE DU 3 OCTOBRE 1899
(GUYANA c. VENEZUELA)
8 MARCH 2021
ORDER
8 MARS 2021
ORDONNANCE
188
4
INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE
YEAR 2021
8 March 2021
ARBITRAL AWARD OF 3 OCTOBER 1899
(GUYANA v. VENEZUELA)
ORDER
Present: President Donoghue; Vice‑President Gevorgian; Judges
Tomka, Abraham, Bennouna, Cançado Trindade,
Yusuf, Xue, Sebutinde, Bhandari, Robinson, Crawford,
Salam, Iwasawa, Nolte; Judge ad hoc Charlesworth;
Registrar Gautier.
The International Court of Justice,
Composed as above,
After deliberation,
Having regard to Article 48 of the Statute of the Court and to Articles
44 and 79ter, paragraph 5, of the Rules of Court,
Having regard to the Application filed in the Registry of the Court on
29 March 2018, whereby the Government of the Co-operative
Republic
of Guyana (hereinafter “Guyana”) instituted proceedings against the
Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (hereinafter “Venezuela”) with respect
to a dispute concerning “the legal validity and binding effect of the Award
regarding the Boundary between the Colony of British Guiana and the
United States of Venezuela, of 3 October 1899”,
Having regard to the fact that, on 18 June 2018, at a meeting held by
the President of the Court with the representatives of the Parties, the
Vice‑President of Venezuela, H.E. Ms Delcy Rodríguez Gómez, stated
that her Government considered that the Court manifestly lacked juris-
2021
8 March
General List
No. 171
188
4
COUR INTERNATIONALE DE JUSTICE
ANNÉE 2021
8 mars 2021
SENTENCE ARBITRALE DU 3 OCTOBRE 1899
(GUYANA c. VENEZUELA)
ORDONNANCE
Présents : Mme Donoghue, présidente ; M. Gevorgian, vice‑président ;
MM. Tomka, Abraham, Bennouna, Cançado Trindade,
Yusuf, Mmes Xue, Sebutinde, MM. Bhandari, Robinson,
Crawford, Salam, Iwasawa, Nolte, juges ; Mme Charlesworth,
juge ad hoc ; M. Gautier, greffier.
La Cour internationale de Justice,
Ainsi composée,
Après délibéré en chambre du conseil,
Vu l’article 48 du Statut de la Cour et les articles 44 et 79ter, paragraphe
5, de son Règlement,
Vu la requête enregistrée au Greffe de la Cour le 29 mars 2018, par
laquelle le Gouvernement de la République coopérative du Guyana
(ci‑après dénommée « Guyana ») a introduit une instance contre la République
bolivarienne du Venezuela (ci‑après dénommée « Venezuela »),
relativement à un différend concernant « la validité juridique et l’effet
contraignant de la sentence arbitrale du 3 octobre 1899 relative à la
frontière
entre la colonie de la Guyane britannique et les Etats‑Unis du
Venezuela »,
Notant que, le 18 juin 2018, lors d’une réunion que le président de la
Cour a tenue avec les représentants des Parties, la vice‑présidente du
Venezuela, S. Exc. Mme Delcy Rodríguez Gómez, a déclaré que son gouvernement
estimait que la Cour n’avait manifestement pas compétence
2021
8 mars
Rôle général
no 171
189 arbitral award of 3 october 1899 (ord. 8 III 21)
5
diction to hear the case and that Venezuela had decided not to participate
in the proceedings, and handed to the President of the Court a letter dated
18 June 2018 from the President of Venezuela, H.E. Mr. Nicolás Maduro
Moros, communicating the position of Venezuela,
Having regard to the Order dated 19 June 2018, by which the Court
held, pursuant to Article 79, paragraph 2, of the Rules of Court of
14 April 1978 as amended on 1 February 2001, that in the circumstances
of the case, it was necessary first of all to resolve the question of its jurisdiction,
and that this question should accordingly be separately determined
before any proceedings on the merits, and fixed 19 November 2018
and 18 April 2019 as the respective time‑limits for the filing of a Memorial
by Guyana and a Counter-Memorial
by Venezuela on the question of
jurisdiction,
Having regard to the Memorial of Guyana on the question of the jurisdiction
of the Court, which was filed within the time-limit thus fixed,
Having regard to the fact that Venezuela did not file a Counter-Memorial,
but that on 28 November 2019, it submitted to the Court a
document entitled “Memorandum of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
on the Application filed before the International Court of Justice
by the Cooperative Republic of Guyana on March 29th, 2018”,
Having regard to a letter dated 10 February 2020, whereby Venezuela
indicated that it did not intend to attend the oral proceedings on the
question of the jurisdiction of the Court,
Having regard to a public hearing held on 30 June 2020 by video link,
at which Guyana presented its oral arguments and submissions on the
question of the jurisdiction of the Court;
Whereas, by its Judgment dated 18 December 2020, the Court found
that it has jurisdiction to entertain the Application filed by 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 of the definitive settlement of
the land boundary dispute between Guyana and Venezuela;
Whereas time-limits
now have to be fixed for the written proceedings
on the merits;
Whereas, at a meeting held by video link by the President of the Court
with the representatives of the Parties on 26 February 2021, pursuant to
Article 31 of the Rules of Court, Guyana requested a period of nine
months, from the date of the Order fixing the time‑limits, for the preparation
of its Memorial;
Whereas, at the same meeting, Venezuela expressed its disagreement
with the Judgment rendered by the Court on 18 December 2020, arguing
that the “Agreement to Resolve the Controversy between Venezuela and
the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland over the
Frontier between Venezuela and British Guiana” signed at Geneva on
sentence arbitrale du 3 octobre 1899 (ord. 8 III 21) 189
5
pour connaître de l’affaire et que le Venezuela avait décidé de ne pas
prendre part à l’instance, et a remis au président de la Cour une lettre du
président du Venezuela, S. Exc. M. Nicolás Maduro Moros, communiquant
la position du Venezuela,
Vu l’ordonnance en date du 19 juin 2018, par laquelle la Cour a estimé,
en application de l’article 79, paragraphe 2, du Règlement du 14 avril
1978, tel qu’amendé le 1er février 2001, que, dans les circonstances de l’espèce,
il était nécessaire de régler en premier lieu la question de sa compétence,
et qu’en conséquence il devait être statué séparément, avant toute
procédure sur le fond, sur cette question, et a fixé au 19 novembre 2018 et
au 18 avril 2019, respectivement, les dates d’expiration du délai pour le
dépôt d’un mémoire du Guyana et d’un contre‑mémoire du Venezuela sur
ladite question,
Vu le mémoire du Guyana sur la question de la compétence de la Cour
déposé dans le délai ainsi fixé,
Rappelant que le Venezuela n’a pas présenté de contre‑mémoire, mais
qu’il a, le 28 novembre 2019, adressé à la Cour un document intitulé
« Mémorandum de la République bolivarienne du Venezuela sur la
requête déposée par la République coopérative du Guyana auprès de la
Cour internationale de Justice le 29 mars 2018 »,
Vu la lettre en date du 10 février 2020, par laquelle le Venezuela a indiqué
qu’il n’avait pas l’intention de prendre part à la procédure orale sur
la question de la compétence de la Cour,
Une audience publique s’étant tenue par liaison vidéo le 30 juin 2020, à
laquelle le Guyana a présenté ses plaidoiries et conclusions sur la question
de la compétence de la Cour ;
Considérant que, par son arrêt en date du 18 décembre 2020, la Cour a
dit qu’elle avait compétence pour connaître de la requête déposée par le
Guyana le 29 mars 2018 dans la mesure où elle se rapporte à la validité de
la sentence arbitrale du 3 octobre 1899 et à la question connexe du règlement
définitif du différend concernant la frontière terrestre entre le
Guyana et le Venezuela ;
Considérant qu’il convient donc à présent de fixer des délais pour la
procédure écrite sur le fond ;
Considérant que, lors d’une réunion tenue le 26 février 2021 par liaison
vidéo entre la présidente de la Cour et les représentants des Parties,
conformément à l’article 31 du Règlement de la Cour, le Guyana a
demandé à disposer d’une période de neuf mois, à compter de la date de
l’ordonnance de fixation des délais, pour la préparation de son mémoire ;
Considérant que, lors de cette même réunion, le Venezuela a manifesté
son désaccord avec l’arrêt rendu par la Cour le 18 décembre 2020, faisant
valoir que l’« Accord tendant à régler le différend entre le Venezuela et le
Royaume‑Uni de Grande‑Bretagne et d’Irlande du Nord relatif à la frontière
entre le Venezuela et la Guyane britannique », signé à Genève le
190 arbitral award of 3 october 1899 (ord. 8 III 21)
6
17 February 1966 could not afford a basis for the Court’s jurisdiction as
it provided that the controversy had to be amicably resolved in a manner
acceptable to both parties;
Whereas Venezuela further indicated that it has not yet decided on its
position in relation to the proceedings and that, in light of the alleged
serious implications of the Court’s Judgment of 18 December 2020 for its
sovereignty, it was required by its Constitution to conduct popular consultations
on the matter, which would require a significant amount of
time, and that it also faced a number of other difficulties in preparing its
pleading; and whereas Venezuela therefore requested a period of twelve to
eighteen months for the preparation of its Counter-Memorial;
Whereas, in reply to the views expressed by Venezuela, Guyana indicated
that a period of twelve months for the filing of each Party’s written
pleading would also be acceptable;
Taking into account the views of the Parties,
Fixes the following time-limits
for the filing of written pleadings on the
merits:
8 March 2022 for the Memorial of the Co-operative
Republic of Guyana;
8 March 2023 for the Counter-Memorial
of the Bolivarian Republic of
Venezuela; and
Reserves the subsequent procedure for further decision.
Done in English and in French, the English text being authoritative, at
the Peace Palace, The Hague, this eighth day of March, two thousand
and twenty-one, in three copies, one of which will be placed in the archives
of the Court and the others transmitted to the Government of the
Co‑operative Republic of Guyana and the Government of the Bolivarian
Republic of Venezuela, respectively.
(Signed) Joan E. Donoghue,
President.
(Signed) Philippe Gautier,
Registrar.
sentence arbitrale du 3 octobre 1899 (ord. 8 III 21) 190
6
17 février 1966, ne pouvait fonder la compétence de la Cour puisqu’il
prévoyait que le différend devrait être résolu à l’amiable, d’une manière
acceptable pour les deux parties ;
Considérant que le Venezuela a également indiqué qu’il n’avait pas
encore décidé de la position à adopter à l’égard de la procédure et que,
compte tenu des graves conséquences qu’avait, selon lui, l’arrêt du
18 décembre 2020 pour sa souveraineté, il était tenu, au regard de sa
Constitution, de procéder à des consultations populaires sur la question,
qui nécessiteraient un laps de temps important, et qu’il rencontrait en
outre un certain nombre d’autres difficultés dans l’élaboration de ses écritures
; et qu’il a donc demandé à se voir accorder un délai de douze à
dix-huit mois pour la préparation de son contre‑mémoire ;
Considérant que, en réponse aux vues exprimées par le Venezuela, le
Guyana a indiqué qu’un délai de douze mois pour le dépôt, par chaque
Partie, de ses écritures, serait également acceptable ;
Compte tenu des vues des Parties,
Fixe comme suit les dates d’expiration des délais pour le dépôt de pièces
sur le fond :
Pour le mémoire de la République coopérative du Guyana, le 8 mars
2022 ;
Pour le contre‑mémoire de la République bolivarienne du Venezuela, le
8 mars 2023 ;
Réserve la suite de la procédure.
Fait en anglais et en français, le texte anglais faisant foi, au Palais de la
Paix, à La Haye, le huit mars deux mille vingt et un, en trois exemplaires,
dont l’un restera déposé aux archives de la Cour et les autres seront transmis
respectivement au Gouvernement de la République coopérative du
Guyana et au Gouvernement de la République bolivarienne du Venezuela.
La présidente,
(Signé) Joan E. Donoghue.
Le greffier,
(Signé) Philippe Gautier.

ICJ document subtitle

Fixing of time-limits: Memorial and Counter-Memorial

Document file FR
Document Long Title

Order of 8 March 2021

Links