In a major step to strengthen Belize’s labor market and expand economic opportunity for its citizens, the government of Belize has teamed up with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to roll out a new targeted employment support program. The collaborative effort officially kicked off on August 25, 2026, with the opening of a three-day strategic planning workshop held in Belmopan, the nation’s capital.
Stakeholders from across key public institutions joined IDB representatives at the workshop, including leaders from Belize’s Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Labour, and the Central Executing Unit. Together, the participating groups are mapping out implementation frameworks, aligning on operational goals, and establishing clear roadmaps to ensure the program delivers tangible results for job seekers across the country.
Tanya Santos, Chief Executive Officer of the Central Executing Unit, emphasized that the program’s success hinges on three critical pillars: cross-agency coordinated planning, clearly defined role and responsibility distribution, and robust end-to-end project management. She also took the opportunity to acknowledge the ongoing work of Labor Commissioner Rissela Dominguez Patt and the entire national Labor Department, highlighting their sustained efforts to upgrade and expand public employment services across every region of Belize.
The new initiative builds on existing efforts to reduce barriers to workforce entry and boost long-term employability for Belizeans, with the IDB bringing technical and financial support to scale up the government’s employment-focused agenda. The three-day workshop is expected to produce a finalized implementation plan that will guide the rollout of program services in the coming months.