Guyana strengthens territorial defense with French military support

Guyana strengthens territorial defense with French military support
by Macarena Hermosilla
Washington DC (UPI) Oct 8, 2025

During the opening ceremony of the French Embassy in Guyana, President Irfaan Ali said his country was ready to accept the France's offer of technological assistance -- including land and maritime radar systems -- to monitor Venezuela's movements amid pressure over the Essequibo region.

At the event Saturday, Ali confirmed that Guyana and France are cooperating on defense and security at both the bilateral and regional levels. He said the partnership was developed in response to existing security challenges.

"Guyana and France are united by respect for democracy, human rights and each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Together, through our working group, we are advancing cooperation in defense, security, infrastructure, agriculture and tourism," Ali said.

He added that in 2026, "we will launch a very important national asset, and of course, our dialogue is moving toward a package of essential elements to maintain stability in our region."

Guyana will acquire a French-made offshore patrol vessel for about $42 million to protect its exclusive economic zone and offshore oil infrastructure.

The vessel will join the coastal patrol ship GDFS Shahoud to strengthen the Guyana Defense Force's capacity to monitor the area and prevent incursions, illegal fishing and transnational crime.

France maintains a permanent military presence in the region through its Armed Forces in Guiana, based in French Guiana. That allows it to carry out "proximity cooperation" in surveillance, training exercises and border control across the Guiana Shield -- the region shared by Guyana and French Guiana.

In July 2024, Guyana Defense Force Chief of Staff Omar Khan signed a security and military cooperation agreement with his French counterpart to deepen military collaboration between the two countries.

In April, Guyanese troops trained with French forces in French Guiana during the Fer de Lance 2025 exercise, practicing joint operations and rapid responses to emergencies in the area.

Cooperation between Guyana and France has deepened as Venezuela's claim over the Essequibo region has reemerged.

The regime of Nicolás Maduro claims 61,700 square miles of that territory and the adjoining oil-rich Atlantic waters, whose sovereignty was granted to Guyana under an 1899 arbitration award.

The dispute over the validity of that award is currently before the International Court of Justice. Maduro, however, has said Venezuela will not recognize the ruling and considers it void.

In his address to the U.N. General Assembly on Sept. 24, Ali said the dispute with Venezuela is before the International Court of Justice, which has twice confirmed its jurisdiction and in 2023 issued provisional measures ordering Caracas not to alter the status quo.

He said Venezuela continues to pass unilateral laws and issue threats of annexation, and he called for the defense of international law and Guyana's territorial integrity.