Vice President for Countries for the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Group Alexandre Meira da Rosa, visited Belize this week to meet with top government officials and private sector representatives to discuss ways of strengthening the Bank’s partnership and cooperation with the Government and private sector to ensure the country’s sustainable development.
Accompanied by the IDB Country Representative Cassandra T. Rogers, Vice President Rosa paid a courtesy visit to the Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Dean O. Barrow. Also present at the meeting were Joseph Waight, Financial Secretary in the Ministry of Finance and Elvira Mendez, Belize’s Representative on the IDB Board of Directors.
The IDB executive also met with Ambassador A. Joy Grant, Governor of the Central Bank of Belize to discuss macroeconomic and fiscal conditions in the country; and with key private sector partners to discuss opportunities for collaboration.
Additionally, Vice President Rosa signed two technical cooperation (grant) agreements under the IDB Lab with Ya’axche Conservation Trust for the project ‘Enhancing Conservation in Belize’s Protected Areas through Disruptive Technologies’ and with the Development Finance Corporation for the project ‘Green Finance for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency for MSMEs’ totaling US$924,000.
Vice President Rosa later visited Belize’s only regional sanitary landfill at Mile 24 on the George Price Highway. The landfill, which has been in operation since August 2013, was completed along with four transfer stations at Belize City, Burrell Boom, San Pedro and Caye Caulker, under the Solid Waste Management Program financed by the IDB and the OPEC Fund for International Development. The project provides safe disposal of solid waste and improved solid waste management in key tourism destinations.
The Vice President’s visit to Belize formed a part of his overseas tour to several IDB-member countries in Central America, including visits to El Salvador and Costa Rica.
About us
The Inter-American Development Bank is devoted to improving lives. Established in 1959, the IDB is a leading source of long-term financing for economic, social and institutional development in Latin America and the Caribbean. The IDB also conducts cutting-edge research and provides policy advice, technical assistance and training to public and private sector clients throughout the region.
