Belize Delegation Participates in the GCF Global Conference in Korea

A high-level Belize Delegation led by Hon. Christopher Coye, Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment, and Hon. Orlando Habet, Minister of Sustainable Development, Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management, participated in the second Green Climate Fund (GCF) Global Programming Conference, from September 13 to 15, 2022, in Incheon, Republic of Korea.
The conference seeks to take stock of the GCF’s role in enabling climate action and will provide a stage for GCF stakeholders to inform the strategy for the second replenishment period in effectively responding to the increasingly urgent need to address climate change and meet the objectives of the Paris Agreement. It also presents the opportunity to advance country programming, share lessons from implementation, and disseminate knowledge of GCF operational tools, as well as strengthen the GCF partnership network.
Belize, like many other small island developing states, is particularly vulnerable to climate change with limited access to national financial and technical resources to build the country’s resilience. Recognizing the need to take proactive actions, the Government of Belize has focused efforts on acquiring support for resiliency building from key funding agencies such as the GCF.
Minister Coye presented on behalf of the delegation and expressed Belize’s appreciation to GCF for mobilizing climate finance for the country’s resiliency building, particularly in the project implementation of the Resilient Rural Belize Program of which BZ$4,829,600 was funded by GCF through a loan and BZ$12,170,400 through a grant.
With a view to enhance Belize’s access to climate finance on a timelier basis and to ensure the efficiency of project implementation, the minister urged the fast-tracking of accreditation of national entities that can serve as effective implementing partners and for the program approval process to be further simplified. Minister Coye also recommended that GCF makes direct allocations to Belize for building national capacity.
The Government of Belize is looking forward to the continued partnership and support from GCF.
Also representing Belize at the Global Programming Conference are Dr. Hon. Louis Zabaneh, Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Culture, Science and Technology; Dr. Osmond Martinez, CEO for the Ministry of Economic Development and National Designated Authority for GCF; Dr. Kenrick Williams, CEO, Ministry of Sustainable Development; Mr. Carlos Pol, Director of the Climate Finance Unit, Ministry of Economic Development; Mr. Leroy Martinez, Economist and GCF Focal Point in the Climate Finance Unit, Ministry of Economic Development; Mrs. Nayari Diaz-Perez, Executive Director of the Belize Protected Areas Conservation Trust; (PACT) and Mr. Eli Romero, Project Development Officer, PACT.