U.N. Envoy Appointed to Help Resolve Guyana-Venezuela Border Controversy

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon appointed Norman Girvan--a respected diplomat, academic, and economist from Jamaica--to assist Guyana and Venezuela in resolving a long-standing border controversy.

Mr. Girvan’s appointment responds to a request from the parties to resume the Secretary-General’s good offices, which were suspended in 2007 after the death of Oliver Jackman, who had previously served as the U.N. Secretary-General’s Personal Representative on the Border Controversy between Guyana and Venezuela. 

Mr. Girvan was Secretary General of the Association of Caribbean States from 2000-2004.  He is currently a Professorial Research Fellow at the University of the West Indies’ Institute of International Relations.

(mew)