Belize Secures 10,000 Scholarships Through IDB–Google Partnership

Belize joined regional leaders at the 39th Meeting of Governors of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) for Central America, Panama, and the Dominican Republic, held in Panama as part of preparatory events for the 2026 IDB Annual Meetings. The country was represented by Narda Garcia, Alternate Governor of Belize to the IDB and Chief Executive Officer in the Office of the Prime Minister, Ministry of Investment and Civil Aviation, along with Cinnamon Bottaro, Belize’s representative on the IDB Board of Directors.
At the gathering, finance ministers and development officials from across the subregion discussed strategies to strengthen competitiveness, inclusive growth, and regional integration, with a particular focus on digital transformation. A standout outcome for Belize was the announcement of a partnership between the IDB and Google that will provide 10,000 scholarships to train Belizean citizens in cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and data analytics. These scholarships are part of the regional “Talent Up” initiative, which aims to expand digital skills, attract investment, and increase productivity among participating countries.
The scholarship initiative builds on Belize’s existing Global Digital Services Project, funded by the IDB, which supports the development of a national policy for the digital services and business process outsourcing (BPO) sectors. Before the Panama meeting, Belize had already pursued closer collaboration with the IDB to scale up workforce training programs and reposition the services sector to compete in higher-value global markets. The new scholarships are intended primarily for entry-level workers and BPO professionals seeking to upgrade their digital skills.
According to government sources, Belize views the IDB-Google Talent Up partnership as a timely boost to local human capital development. Access to Google-certified training is expected to help bridge skills gaps and make Belize a more attractive destination for digital services investment. Officials emphasised that modernising skills “cannot happen in isolation” and must be aligned with broader Central American integration strategies.
The 10,000 scholarships are expected to be rolled out progressively over the coming months, in coordination with national training institutions and private-sector partners. If uptake remains strong, the initiative could help diversify Belize’s economy away from traditional sectors, expand remote work opportunities, and stimulate the growth of a homegrown digital services workforce capable of competing in international markets.