Belize and Taiwan continue to deepen their longstanding partnership, with recent high-level meetings focused on disaster preparedness, public service modernization, and national development priorities. On April 7th and 8th, Belizean officials met with newly appointed Taiwanese Ambassador Amino C.Y. Chi in Belmopan to explore expanded bilateral cooperation.
On April 7th, Hon. Henry Charles Usher, Belize’s Minister of Public Service and Disaster Risk Management, met with Ambassador Chi to discuss strengthening the country’s disaster response systems. Also present was Chief Executive Officer Rolando Zetina. Discussions centered on modernizing public services through technical training and knowledge sharing.
A key highlight of the meeting was Taiwan’s potential support in drone technology for the National Emergency Management Organization. The technology could improve damage assessments, strengthen storm monitoring, and support faster emergency responses, especially in vulnerable coastal communities.
The following day, Dr. Hon. Osmond Martinez, accompanied by Chief Executive Officer Carlos Pol, also met with Ambassador Chi in a courtesy visit aimed at reaffirming Belize and Taiwan’s bilateral relationship. Their discussions focused on ongoing and potential development projects, as well as opportunities to enhance economic cooperation.
Both parties highlighted the role of key Taiwanese partners such as the International Cooperation and Development Fund and the Export-Import Bank of the Republic of China (Taiwan), which have played an important role in supporting Belize’s development initiatives. Discussions explored opportunities to expand financing, technical assistance, and capacity-building support for priority sectors.
Martinez emphasized the importance of leveraging these partnerships to advance Belize’s climate resilience, economic transformation, and sustainable growth. Ambassador Chi reaffirmed Taiwan’s commitment to supporting Belize’s national development goals.
Ambassador Chi officially presented his credentials to Governor-General Froyla Tzalam on March 30th. He succeeds former Ambassador Lily Li-wen Hsu and has previously served in Belize. Taiwan has long been a key development partner for Belize, and these recent meetings reflect continued support as the country faces growing climate and economic challenges.
For communities such as San Pedro on Ambergris Caye, enhanced disaster preparedness remains especially important. As one of Belize’s most vulnerable coastal areas, San Pedro faces significant risks from hurricanes, storm surges, flooding, and coastal erosion due to its low-lying terrain. The island’s tourism-driven economy also makes disaster readiness critical to protecting livelihoods and infrastructure.
San Pedro has remained actively engaged in preparedness efforts through community-based disaster management plans, including workshops and simulation exercises coordinated by NEMO. The possible introduction of drone technology could further improve these efforts by enhancing flood assessments, storm tracking, and post-disaster response. Officials say that stronger cooperation and the adoption of modern tools could help improve emergency response times, better protect vulnerable communities, and save lives as Belize continues to face increasing climate risks.
Share
Read more