New UN envoy appointed to help resolve Guyana-Venezuela border controversy
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed a respected diplomat, academic and economist from Jamaica to assist Guyana and Venezuela in resolving a long-standing border controversy.
Norman Girvan’s appointment responds to a request from the parties to resume the Secretary-General’s good offices, which were suspended in 2007 due to the death of Oliver Jackman.
Mr. Jackman, a veteran diplomat and jurist, had served since 1999 as the Secretary-General’s Personal Representative on the Border Controversy between Guyana and Venezuela.
“The Secretary-General commends the parties for seeking to resolve their differences through dialogue, and looks forward to learning of the progress that they make with the assistance of Mr. Girvan,” according to a news release.
Mr. Girvan has travelled extensively in Latin America and is well known for his advocacy of greater cooperation between the Caribbean and Latin America.
He was Secretary General of the Association of Caribbean States from 2000-2004, and is currently a Professorial Research Fellow at the University of the West Indies’ Institute of International Relations.