On May 7, 2026, senior representatives from the Government of Belize and the United Nations Country Team convened in Belmopan, the nation’s capital, for the 7th Joint National Steering Committee Meeting to lay the groundwork for Belize’s long-term development trajectory.
The high-level gathering brought together chief executive officers, top-ranking government officials, and leaders of UN agency operations in the region to carry out two core tasks: first, a comprehensive review of progress delivered under the existing UN-Belize cooperation framework, and second, early collaborative planning for the next five-year development cycle spanning 2027 to 2031.
Central to the day’s deliberations was Plan Belize 2.0, the Belizean government’s medium-term national development blueprint that sets strategic priorities through 2030. Attendees also explored ways to refine UN support structures to better align with Belize’s national objectives across key priority areas, including inclusive sustainable growth, cross-sector coordination, and broad-based economic advancement.
Amalia Mai, Chief Executive Officer of Belize’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, emphasized the enduring value of the bilateral partnership. She noted that the UN has long played an indispensable role in Belize’s development journey, providing critical technical expertise, facilitating constructive policy dialogue, and supporting the mobilization of financial and human resources to advance the country’s development agenda.
Raul Salazar, the United Nations Resident Coordinator for Belize, echoed Mai’s remarks while underscoring a key priority for the next cooperation cycle. He stressed that all UN-backed initiatives must continue to deliver tangible, measurable outcomes that directly improve quality of life for ordinary Belizean citizens.
As the meeting concluded, both sides issued a joint reaffirmation of their shared commitment to continued collaborative action. The partnership will focus not only on advancing Belize’s nationally defined development goals but also on progressing the global Sustainable Development Goals that frame international development cooperation for all member states.