According to the Ministry of Defence, Britain plans to send a naval ship to Guyana later in the month. The purpose of this deployment is to support the South American nation, which is currently embroiled in a border dispute with neighbouring Venezuela over the oil-rich Essequibo region.
This decision follows a recent visit by a British junior foreign minister to Guyana, aimed at demonstrating the UK’s solidarity with the country, which is not only an ally but also a former British colony.
Earlier in the month, Guyana and Venezuela reached an agreement to refrain from using force and to prevent the escalation of tensions in their longstanding dispute.
The 160,000-square-km Essequibo region is widely acknowledged as part of Guyana. However, in recent years, Venezuela has renewed its claim to the territory and to offshore areas following significant oil and gas discoveries.
The Royal Navy patrol vessel HMS Trent will be deployed, as per the statement from the Ministry of Defence. However, the statement did not explicitly mention Venezuela or the border dispute.
“HMS Trent will visit regional ally and Commonwealth partner Guyana later this month as part of a series of engagements in the region during her Atlantic Patrol Task deployment,” a spokesperson explained.
(Reporting by Sachin Ravikumar; Editing by Mark Potter)
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