At the 2026 World Trade Organization Public Forum held in Geneva, Switzerland, Belize has formally joined a coordinated regional push to boost cross-border investment and streamline business operations across Latin America and the Caribbean. The September 16 forum discussions, which brought together high-level government representatives and global development leaders, centered on advancing implementation of the WTO’s Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement and identifying actionable strategies to upgrade regional investment and regulatory environments. Representing Belize at the invitation of World Bank Vice President for Countries and Regional Integration Anabel González was Narda Garcia, Chief Executive Officer of the Prime Minister’s Office. A core focus of the talks was the proposed Regional Network for Investment Facilitation and Promotion, a collaborative framework designed to connect participating nations across the region. Under the network’s structure, member states will gain access to structured platforms to exchange successful policy experiences, upskill institutional teams, and secure targeted technical and financial resourcing to refine their domestic investment frameworks. The Inter-American Development Bank has already thrown its institutional and financial support behind the project, with formal launch ceremonies scheduled for October 20 in Panama. Once operational, the network will prioritize deepening regional coordination on investment policy, supporting member states in rolling out practical regulatory reforms, and closing capacity gaps for public institutions tasked with attracting and retaining foreign and domestic investment. Belize’s participation marks a key step toward expanding the initiative’s reach across Central America, aligning the small Caribbean nation with broader regional goals of inclusive economic growth through improved investment accessibility. Development leaders note that the agreement and accompanying regional network address longstanding barriers to investment in the region, including fragmented regulatory processes and limited institutional capacity to support new business ventures. For Belize, joining the network opens new opportunities to attract sustainable investment, share its own development experiences with peer nations, and access global expertise to refine its business climate.