Prime Minister Honourable John Briceño

Belize officially launched the Greening Belize Initiative on January 26, 2026, at the Green Belize Complex auditorium in Belmopan. Prime Minister Honourable John Briceño, Minister of Sustainable Development Honourable Orlando Habet, and other officials attended the ceremony, which featured an invocation, the national anthem, addresses by government representatives, and the unveiling of a new mobile application designed to track tree planting nationwide.

San Pedro, Ambergris Caye’s Garifuna community joined the national celebration of Garifuna Settlement Day with vibrant drumming, soulful dances, traditional food, and the symbolic Yurumein, the re-enactment of the Garinagu’s arrival in Belize in 1802. This year’s public and bank holiday, observed on November 19th, was celebrated under the theme “Wabaronguóun lidan Garifunaduáü: iúnrahei warasan, agahabuda lun sánsiguaü, inebesei lun wanichigu,” which translates to “Garifuna Moving Forward: Honoring Tradition, Embracing Change, Strengthening Identity.”

Just one week after announcing changes to his Cabinet, Prime Minister Honourable John Briceño issued a second reshuffling on Tuesday, November 18th. This latest adjustment followed the Honourable Henry Usher’s refusal to take on the Ministry of Home Affairs and the resignation of the Honourable Jose Mai from Cabinet. Usher reportedly indicated that he preferred to remain at the Ministry of the Public Service. As a result, the Honourable Oscar Mira, former Minister of Defence and Border Security, was reassigned to lead the Ministry of Home Affairs, which oversees the Belize Police Department. With Mai’s departure, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security, and New Growth Industries has now been assigned to Honourable Rodwell Ferguson, who previously served in the Office of the Prime Minister and will be supported by Minister of State Honourable Alex Balona.

Category 5 Hurricane Melissa made landfall in southwestern Jamaica on Tuesday, October 28th, before moving north over eastern Cuba and parts of Haiti, leaving a trail of destruction across the Caribbean. The powerful storm brought catastrophic flooding, landslides, and sustained winds of up to 185 miles per hour, tearing roofs from buildings, uprooting trees, and devastating infrastructure, agriculture, and tourism in its path.

For the first time, Belize hosted the Caribbean Water and Wastewater Association (CWWA) Conference. Organized in collaboration with Belize Water Services (BWS) Ltd, the 34th annual edition of the event took place from October 20th to 24th at the Grand Caribe Resort in San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye. The week-long conference created an engaging environment where hundreds of regional stakeholders and government officials networked, shared ideas, and explored solutions to the challenges facing the water sector.

The Government of Belize has announced a landmark acquisition of three major hydroelectric plants and a significant stake in Belize Electricity Limited (BEL) from the Canadian company Fortis Inc. The official announcement came on October 16th, with the government swiftly tabling a bill in the House of Representatives seeking parliamentary approval for the purchase. The three hydro plants—Mollejon, Chalillo, and Vaca—are situated along the Macal River and collectively provide over a third of Belize’s electricity.

Belize is advancing its transition to renewable energy with the signing of a major power purchase agreement between Belize Electricity Limited (BEL) and Blair Athol Power Company Limited. The deal paves the way for the construction of a 15-megawatt (MW) utility-scale solar plant with a 1.5MW battery energy storage system in the northern Corozal District. Once completed, the project is expected to help reduce the country’s overall electricity costs.

Prime Minister Honourable John Briceño addressed the 80th General Assembly of the United Nations (UN), raising issues from climate change to Guatemala’s aggression at the Sarstoon River. His remarks were widely praised in Belize but drew a response from Guatemalan authorities, who said his comments on the Sarstoon were unnecessary since the incident had been quickly addressed and the territorial, insular, and maritime claim had already been submitted to the International Court of Justice (ICJ).