Ahead of the United Nations’ 81st anniversary on October 24, 2026, the small Central American nation of Belize is preparing to host a dedicated UN Week focused on advancing inclusive national development, deepening regional cooperation, and forging stronger cross-sector partnerships between the UN system, the Belizean government, and domestic private enterprises.
This year’s gathering is set to deliver two landmark agreements that will shape collaboration between Belize and the UN through the end of the next decade. First, participating stakeholders will formalize the signing of a new five-year cooperation framework covering 2027 to 2031, which will set strategic priorities for all UN agencies operating in the region. Second, 61 major private sector companies operating in Belize will sign a declaration of intention, binding them to align their business operations and investments with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Raul Salazar, the UN Resident Coordinator for Belize, explained that the new strategic framework will guide all UN system activities across Belize and neighboring Caribbean nations over the coming five years. The framework is designed to target pressing shared regional challenges that continue to hinder inclusive growth: accelerating climate change adaptation, strengthening citizen safety and security, and responding to shifting demographic needs across the region.
Looking back to measure the impact of the outgoing 2022–2026 cooperation cycle, Salazar highlighted tangible progress delivered through past partnership. Over the five-year period, the UN system implemented 161 standalone development projects across Belize, with an average annual investment of approximately $25 million.
One flagship ongoing initiative is the Prosper Project, a joint effort launched by the International Labour Organization and the European Union, with backing from Belize’s Ministry of Economic Transformation. The program works directly with Indigenous communities in the Toledo District, supporting local leaders to co-design and implement custom economic resilience plans that center community priorities, rather than external development frameworks.
Beyond inclusive economic development, the UN has prioritized rural infrastructure improvement through its support for Belize’s National Rural Development Strategy. Key achievements to date include expanding access to renewable solar electricity for rural schools, and rolling out community-led projects to expand access to clean drinking water and improved sanitation in underserved rural settlements.
“We have been doing a lot of work in the rural communities, also around the National Rural Development Strategy, bringing new modalities of rural electrification for solar panels in schools,” Salazar noted in comments ahead of UN Week.
For the private sector commitment, 61 large companies operating across Belize have already committed to sign the voluntary declaration, which encourages firms to adopt responsible business practices aligned with the SDGs. The agreement also creates a platform for participating companies to share best practices, exchange lessons learned from sustainable investment projects in other markets, and collaborate on collective impact initiatives across Belize.
Salazar also offered praise for Belize’s progress on two key national priorities: poverty reduction and marine ecosystem conservation. Highlighting the nation’s global leadership in ocean protection, he noted that Belize stands among a small group of countries worldwide that have already met the global 30×30 target, protecting 30% of its territorial waters from overexploitation.
Beyond formal agreement signings, this year’s UN Week will also serve as a moment for UN personnel based in Belize to reflect on their collective work over the past cooperation cycle, strengthen collaborative ties with domestic government and civil society partners, and raise public awareness across the country of how UN programming supports sustained, inclusive national development.