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OAS Sec Gen Visits Belize
posted (August 22, 2022)
We caught up with the Prime Minister at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Belmopan where he was hosting the the OAS Secretary General, Luis Almagro. He was paying a courtesy call on Belize - his first visit since the election of the new Government.

The OAS continues to play a central role in the confidence building process between Belize and Guatemala, ad Almagro commented on Belize's exceptionalism in the region:

Luis Almagro, Secretary General, O.A.S.
"Belize is a reference in the region, in the hemisphere and the sub region of democracy, human rights, proper management of the economy, because the participation in the international and regional arena is extremely relevant. Belize has the Secretary General of CARICOM and the Assistant Secretary General of the Organization of American States. Belize is playing a relevant role in the region."

Hon. John Briceno, Prime Minister
"But it is important for us that as the Secretary General of the O.A.S. that he comes to Belize and be able to speak to us face-to-face and also to be able to even go to the office at the border and to have a firsthand look at the work that they continue to do at the Adjacency Zone, between Belize and Guatemala."

And while the OAS continues to support confidence building measures, what about the friends of Belize? They've been paying the bills to keep the adjacency zone office open and active. It's been many years of building confidence, and funding fatigue is setting in. The Prime Minister said, though that he recently got a commitment from the European Union:

Hon. John Briceno, Prime Minister
"The good news is that when I was in Brussels, the EU officials informed me that they are going to provide funding for another 18 months, starting next year. And there are other friends that have already made some commitments but we need to continue to work with them to show them the importance of the work that the O.A.S. continues to do. As I mentioned to the Secretary General in the earlier meeting that we had this morning, is that Belize and Guatemala, the work that the O.A.S. has been doing in that border area, the Adjacency Zone, has been so successful that up to now we have had no serious crisis in the area. We know we continue to find the challenges of the incursions."

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