Government

On Tuesday, August 13th, Dr. Osmond Martinez was officially sworn in as the new Area Representative for the constituency of Toledo East. An official ceremony was held at the residence of the Governor General, Her Excellency Dame Froyla Tzalam, in the Capital City of Belmopan, where it was also announced that Martinez would be Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Trade.

he Ministry of Blue Economy and Disaster Risk Management, in accordance with its Blue Investments strategic objective, is vigorously exploring new blue industries that can contribute to growing Belize’s Blue Economy in a manner that is sustainable and inclusive.

UNFPA delivered capacity building sessions on Gender Based Violence in Emergencies (GBViE) to key organizations with the main objective to support the establishment of a GBViE mechanism in Belize. Officers from the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO), Belize Institute of Search and Rescue Training (BISART), the Women and Family Support Department (WFS), the National Women's Commission (NWC) and the Belize Red Cross, who lead in the national response in emergencies, benefitted from a one day capacity building session, tailored to their specific role in the national response mechanism. In addition to this, a youth webinar was organized to engage the youth population on how volunteerism and outreach activities can support the efforts in addressing GBV in emergencies.

As part of strengthening governance, improved management, and enhanced monitoring of Belize’s coastal and marine resources under the Belize Blue Bonds initiative, the Government of Belize is coordinating the development of a National Enforcement and Conservation Monitoring Strategy and Action Plan for Belize’s blue space.

The Government of Belize and the United Nations Country Team convened its 4th Joint National Steering Committee Meeting, co-chaired by H.E. Amalia Mai, CEO of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, and Mr. Raul Salazar, United Nations Resident Coordinator for Belize and El Salvador. This Steering Committee provides strategic oversight and guidance for the United Nations Multi-Country Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNMSDCF) 2022-2026, which covers 22 countries in the English and Dutch-speaking Caribbean adopted by Belize in December 2021.

Honourable Dolores Balderamos Garcia, Minister of Human Development, Families and Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, signed a letter of agreement with Anita Zetina, Secretary General of the Secretariat for Central American Social Integration (SISCA). This agreement establishes cooperation aimed at strengthening and expanding the Ministry’s Elder Home Care Programme. The signing was witnessed by Ambassador Her Excellency Lily-Wen Hsu of the Republic of China (Taiwan), which is financing this programme.

On Tuesday, July 25th, the village of Caye Caulker in Belize celebrated the official launch of its innovative Digital Connect Center. This center is a pioneering initiative and the first of its kind that will allow residents easy access to technology for everyday needs. The milestone was made possible through a collaborative partnership between the Ministry of Public Utilities, Energy, Logistics, E-Governance, the Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan), and Area Representative Honorable Andre Perez.

US Ambassador Michelle Kwan swore in a group of 23 new Volunteers at a ceremony in Belmopan last Friday. For the next two years these Volunteers will support the Youth Empowered by Sports (YES) Project in partnership with the Ministry of Youth, Sports & Transport. The goal of the YES Project is to see Belizean youth lead healthy and empowered lives and realize their full potential.