Guyana was not directly involved in the process to develop a Political Declaration on the use of explosive weapons in populated areas. It was, however, among the first group of states to endorse the Political Declaration in Dublin in November 2022.
Statements and positions
Guyana has several times aligned with other states to deliver statements on explosive weapons in populated areas in multilateral forums. In 2019, Guyana endorsed the Ireland-led joint statement during the 74th United Nations General Assembly First Committee encouraging states to participate in international efforts to address the impacts of the use of explosive weapons in populated areas on civilians, including by working towards the creation of an international Political Declaration on this issue. 1 At the UN Security Council Open Debate on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict in May 2023, the Group of Friends of Action on Conflict and Hunger, of which Guyana is a member, strongly welcomed the Political Declaration, called on other states to join it, and said that the Oslo Conference will provide a critical opportunity to make progress in implementing the Declaration. 2
At the 2025 open debate the Group said that “overly permissive interpretations of the rules of international humanitarian law are undermining their key objective, that is, the protection of civilians and civilian objects” and, referencing Gaza, decried the “immense civilian harm has been caused by Israel’s indiscriminate use of explosive weapons in densely populated areas and its obstruction of life-saving aid”. In closing, it urged states to “work for the universal endorsement and implementation of the Political Declaration”. 3
With 22 other Latin American and Caribbean states, Guyana also participated in the Santiago Regional Meeting on Protecting Civilians from the Use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas in 2018, resulting in the Santiago Communiqué in which the participating states agreed to take further action on the issue. This included: avoid the use of explosive weapons with wide area effects in populated areas; act to enhance compliance with international humanitarian and human rights law to ensure the protection of civilians and civilian objects; fully support the process that will lead to the negotiation and adoption of an international political declaration on the use of explosive weapons in populated areas; encourage collection of data; promote bilateral and regional cooperation through sharing experiences, good practices and expertise; constructively engage in discussions and initiatives at the international level that could effectively provide greater protection to civilians in armed conflicts; strengthen cooperation and partnerships with international organisations and civil society organisations to draw upon their relevant expertise and support. 4