Belize and COSEFIN Advance Preparations for the 2026 COSEFIN Pro Tempore Presidency

Press Release, Belmopan, May 21, 2026. From May 19 to 22, the Executive Secretariat of the Council of Ministers of Finance or Treasury of Central America, Panama, and the Dominican Republic — COSEFIN — carried out an official mission in Belize with the objective of supporting the Ministry of Economic Transformation in preparing for the Pro Tempore Presidency of COSEFIN, which Belize will assume during the second half of 2026.
The mission created a space for technical and institutional dialogue aimed at strengthening Belize’s participation in the regional fiscal agenda, updating the Ministry’s team on the main projects currently being promoted by COSEFIN, and advancing the identification of synergies between Belize’s national priorities and COSEFIN’s regional initiatives. The main objectives of the mission were to meet with Government officials following Belize’s recent accession to COSEFIN, discuss Belize’s assumption of the COSEFIN Pro Tempore Presidency in July 2026, and engage with key stakeholders to strengthen regional collaboration and coordination.
As part of the official agenda, the COSEFIN delegation held a meeting with Hon. John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize, during which discussions focused on the importance of strengthening the country’s participation in COSEFIN’s regional mechanisms and on the need to prepare a Pro Tempore Presidency that contributes to ensuring continuity in the regional fiscal agenda. The meeting reaffirmed the value of political and institutional dialogue in promoting greater coordination among Belize, Central America, Panama, and the Dominican Republic.
The mission also included a working meeting with Dr. Hon. Osmond Martinez, Minister of State at the Ministry of Economic Transformation, and Carlos Pol, Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Economic Transformation. During the meeting, participants discussed the main regional projects currently underway, preparations for Belize’s Pro Tempore Presidency during the second half of 2026, and opportunities for synergy between the country’s national priorities and the workstreams promoted by COSEFIN within the framework of COSEFIN.
One of the central topics of the mission was the Regional Strategy for Disaster Risk Financial Management, an instrument approved by COSEFIN and aimed at strengthening countries’ capacities to anticipate, protect against, and financially respond to the impacts of disasters.
Within this framework, COSEFIN held a working session with the Climate Finance Unit of Belize’s Ministry of Economic Transformation, during which participants explored the operation of the Strategy, its lines of action, and opportunities for incorporating Belize into this regional effort. The discussion highlighted the importance of investing with a preventive approach, reducing future fiscal losses, and strengthening the resilience of public finances in the face of climate events and disasters.
The mission also provided an opportunity to share progress on other regional projects promoted within the framework of COSEFIN, aimed at fostering greater coordination among member countries, strengthening public financial management, and creating technical spaces for the exchange of experiences, best practices, and regional solutions.
Through this mission, COSEFIN reaffirms its role as the technical and administrative body of COSEFIN, facilitating the follow-up of the Council’s mandates, promoting coordination among the Ministries of Finance or Treasury of member countries, and supporting processes that contribute to strengthening regional fiscal policy.
Belize’s Pro Tempore Presidency during the second half of 2026 represents an opportunity to continue consolidating a more integrated and collaborative regional fiscal agenda aligned with the common challenges faced by Central America, Panama, the Dominican Republic, and Belize.