Government

The Ministry of Economic Development, as the National Designated Authority (NDA), is pleased to announce the nomination of the Development Finance Corporation (DFC) for accreditation to the Adaptation Fund (AF). During the World Bank/International Monetary Fund (IMF) annual meetings in late October, a bilateral meeting was held between the Government of Belize and the AF. This nomination marks a crucial step in advancing Belize’s capacity to finance climate adaptation initiatives and support the resilience of communities facing the impacts of climate change.

Belize is facing serious electricity-related issues threatening its economic growth and energy stability. Due to difficulties securing additional energy sources, Belize Electricity Limited (BEL) has warned that peak electrical demand is expected to exceed current generation capacity within the next year. To minimize the risk of recurring blackouts, BEL has requested the Public Utilities Commission to declare a power generation emergency following an unplanned outage that affected nearly the entire country on Tuesday, November 12th.

From November 6-8, 2024, the Military and Naval Commanders of Belize and Mexico, who share maritime and terrestrial boundaries, met in Belize City to discuss a broad range of traditional security-related challenges, including drug trafficking, weapon smuggling, illegal migration and contraband.

The OCPP is supporting Belize’s marine conservation efforts by enhancing the quality and use of marine data across the country’s Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). By reviewing current data collection and analysis methods, the OCPP is helping to establish clearer standards and thresholds for tracking the health of marine habitats and species. This effort is closely aligned with Belize’s commitment to protecting marine biodiversity and sustaining the livelihoods that depend on it, including fishing and tourism. Working with the Belize Government and MPA co-managers, the OCPP is contributing to the prioritisation and updating of indicators that monitor and report on MPA conditions across the network.

The Ministry of Public Utilities, Energy, Logistics and E-governance (MPUELE), in partnership with key stakeholders, successfully hosted the Energy Fair 2024 at the University of Belize Campus in Belmopan. It was a dynamic event celebrating Belize's progress toward a future of clean and sustainable energy. The fair kicked off with a vibrant Opening Ceremony at 9:00 AM, featuring several key announcements and initiatives that demonstrate Belize's commitment to accelerating its energy transition.

Dr. the Hon. Osmond Martinez, Minister of State for Foreign Trade in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, led a successful Trade and Investment Mission to London from November 4 to 7. This mission, which aligns with the Government’s goal to strengthen Belize’s economic positioning through commercial diplomacy, resulted in several significant achievements for Belize.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade is pleased to announce a positive development for Belize’s sugar industry following the UK’s recent decision to maintain its current Autonomous Tariff Quota (ATQ) for raw cane sugar. There will be no increase in access for suppliers who are not part of the Organization of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OACPS). This decision, shared by the British High Commissioner, preserves critical market access for Belize’s sugar exports in 2025, providing substantial benefits for the country’s sugar sector, especially Belize’s dedicated cane farmers.

To ensure the successful and timely delivery of Belize’s conservation commitments, the Belize Fisheries Department was equipped with a Toyota Hilux Vehicle and eight laptops to effectively monitor and ensure compliance with fisheries laws - an essential step in protecting Belize’s valuable marine areas and supporting productive fisheries and livelihoods.