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Ministry of Sustainable Development and Climate Change Presents its 2024 Voluntary National Review (VNR) Report on the Country’s Progress Towards Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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Press Release – Belmopan City, Belize – October 23, 2024 – The Ministry of Sustainable Development and Climate Change (MSDCC) successfully launched Belize’s 2024 Voluntary National Review (VNR) at the Ministry’s Auditorium, a synergistic event organized by the Sustainable Development Unit (SDU) in partnership with the United Nations (UN) in Belize.
As part of its follow-up and review mechanism, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development encourages UN Member Countries to “Conduct regular and inclusive reviews of progress at the national and sub-national levels, which are country-led and country-driven.” Belize’s 2024 VNR was presented at the High-level Political Forum (HLPF) in New York in July 2024 and shared the country’s experiences, including successes, challenges and lessons learned, with a view to accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda in Belize in this critical decade of action.
Belize’s 2024 VNR Report assessed the progress to date, inclusive of the country’s past and current medium-term development strategies and informs the necessary adjustments to be made for our national plans to be more impactful and effective in their efforts to build a more democratic, inclusive, sustainable, and resilient Belize. The Report also provides a preliminary assessment of GOB’s Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP) contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The event included a warm welcome remark by Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Kenrick Williams, as well as a presentation by Mr. Victor Alegria, Director of the SDU, on the findings of the progress and recommendations made towards achieving and accelerating the implementation of the SDGs.
Mr. Raul Salazar, Resident Coordinator of the United Nations in Belize and El Salvador, noted in his remarks the significant progress Belize has made in key areas, highlighting that “The Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) has decreased from 36% in 2021 to 26.4% in 2023.” This is despite the World Bank’s ranking of Belize as the eighth most at-risk country to the impacts of climate change globally.
In his keynote address, Minister Orlando Habet said, “The Government of Belize, under the leadership of Prime Minister Hon. John Briceno, continues to reaffirm Belize’s unwavering commitment to achieving the SDGs, as stated in the VNR 2024 Report, thereby ensuring that we leave no one behind.”
Minister Habet also stated, “The SDGs remain the only ambitious, universally agreed blueprint to achieve an equitable and sustainable future for all,” and emphasized that “#PlanBelize Medium Term Development strategy 2022-2026 continues to guide our actions towards achieving sustainable development.”
The Ministry of Sustainable Development and Climate Change expresses its gratitude to all participants and partners for their active engagement and valuable contributions to this dialogue around the SDGs.

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