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Maritime Boundaries Delimitation, Guyana

The Special Advisory Services Division (SASD) has been providing technical assistance to the Government of Guyana since 2001, with the implementation of a programme of work on maritime boundaries delimitation.   Assistance offered under the project includes:
• a hydrographic study of Guyana's maritime areas;
• a desktop study to enable further studies for the submission of an extended continental shelf claim and a cost estimate of further scientific work;
• a SASD training workshop on negotiations;
• legal and policy advice and the preparation of draft negotiating briefs;
• legal advisory opinions and two rounds of negotiations with Suriname supported by SASD.

Currently, SASD is working on updating the maritime zones legislation as part of this continued capacity building programme. Urgent priority is being directed to ensure a sound domestic legal basis for future negotiations and the pending third party arbitration on maritime boundary with Suriname. The Government of Guyana decided to take this matter to the Law of the Sea Tribunal early this year.  This development however, does not affect SASD's work with the government on all maritime boundary matters outside the arbitration.