Belize Advances First Industrial Strategy Through UNIDO Study Tour in Japan

Press Release, Belmopan, July 11, 2026. The Office of the Prime Minister, through the Investment Policy and Compliance Unit (IPCU) in the Ministry of Investment, in collaboration with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), successfully completed a week-long study tour to Japan from June 29 to July 3, 2026, as part of the ongoing development of Belize’s first Industrial Strategy.
The study tour provided Belizean policymakers with firsthand exposure to Japan’s innovative approaches to sustainable industrial development, blue economy industries, biotechnology, seaweed cultivation and processing, aquaculture technologies, biomass utilization, carbon sequestration, environmental technologies, investment promotion, and industrial policy implementation. The knowledge and experiences gained will directly support Belize’s efforts to develop a modern industrial strategy that promotes economic diversification, value addition, environmental sustainability, and increased competitiveness.
The Belize delegation comprised Ms. Carmen Sosa, Executive Director, Economic Development Council; Ms. Felicia Cruz, Director, Ministry of Blue Economy and Marine Conservation; Ms. Keisha Rodriguez, Policy Director, Ministry of Natural Resources, Petroleum and Mining; Ms. Jasmine Shoman, Investment Associate, BELTRAIDE; Ms. Nadicah Galvez, Investment Policy Officer, Investment Policy and Compliance Unit; and Mr. Jairo Chavez, Investment Policy Officer, Investment Policy and Compliance Unit.
The delegation was accompanied by UNIDO representatives: Dr. Nobuya Haraguchi, Chief, Economic Research Section; Dr. Anders Isaksson, Chief, Division of Industrial Policy Advice and Capacity Development; and Mr. Christoph Graeser, Industrial Policy Analyst.
Key engagements included meetings with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan; the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries; the Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency; Shiga Prefectural Government; Yamaguchi University; the Ocean Policy Research Institute of the Sasakawa Peace Foundation; Japan’s National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies; as well as innovative Japanese companies, including UMITRON, Sunshiki Co., Ltd., Sea Bloom K.K., WEF Institute of Technology, Novelgen Inc., FutureBud International Co., Ltd., and Euglena Co., Ltd.
Belize’s Industrial Strategy with Blue and Green Industrial Policies seeks to promote more value-added production, strengthen productive sectors, increase exports, create quality employment, and encourage environmentally sustainable industrialization. Building upon the country’s comparative advantages in both the blue and green economies, the strategy aims to position Belize as a competitive and resilient economy while advancing the Sustainable Development Goals.
The Ministry of Investment expresses its sincere appreciation to the Government of Japan and UNIDO for facilitating this important knowledge exchange. The insights gained during the study tour will contribute significantly to the continued development of Belize’s Industrial Strategy and strengthen the country’s capacity to implement evidence-based industrial policies that foster inclusive and sustainable economic growth.