On August 16, 2026, a landmark trade agreement was signed in San Salvador between the governments of Belize and El Salvador, marking a major milestone in bilateral economic cooperation between the two Central American nations. The newly signed Partial Scope Agreement is set to open untapped export markets for Belizean goods while codifying long-term efforts to expand and deepen two-way trade flows between the countries.
Belize’s official delegation to the signing ceremony was headed by Marconi Leal Jr, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, and included a broad cross-section of trade stakeholders. The group featured senior government trade officials, representatives from the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and multiple leaders from Belize’s private sector, reflecting the broad public-private support for the new trade framework.
Speaking at the ceremony, Leal emphasized that the agreement forms a core part of Belize’s broader national strategy to reduce reliance on traditional trade partners and diversify its international commercial partnerships. Beyond expanding market access, the pact also formalizes new institutional structures to support long-term economic integration: a bilateral Bilateral Trade and Investment Promotion Group will be established to proactively attract cross-border private investment. The agreement also includes dedicated provisions for technical knowledge sharing and targeted capacity building initiatives for trade officials and business communities in both countries.
Industry observers note that the new agreement lays a structured foundation for future economic collaboration, with expected benefits including increased small and medium enterprise participation in cross-border trade, enhanced supply chain connectivity across Central America, and strengthened people-to-people business ties between the two nations.