PALCENIA, Belize, CMC – The Belize government has described as “constructive” the first partnership dialogue with the European Union.
A statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs following the meeting on Monday said that the first partnership dialogue was held under Article 3 of the new Partnership Agreement between the EU and members of the Organisation of African, Caribbean, and Pacific States (OCAP) referred to as the Samoa Agreement.
The partnership dialogue is the successor to the political dialogue held under Article 8 of the Cotonou Agreement, which guided the relations between the EU and the OACPS and expired in 2020 after coming into force in 2003.
The partnership dialogue was co-chaired by Francis Fonseca, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, and Marianne Van Steen, the Ambassador of the European Union.
“The discussions were held constructively, addressing the multifaceted relationship between Belize and the EU. Both parties are aligned on many critical global issues and are committed to respecting the international legal order and promoting multilateralism. They reiterated their commitment to further strengthening their partnership, grounded in shared values and interests,” the statement said.
It said that the dialogue reviewed development cooperation, assessing the progress of ongoing projects under the 11th European Development Fund and new initiatives under the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument (NDICI) on green growth in the south and border management.
The statement said the EU also provided updates on its regional programs, such as environment and climate change, trade, and good governance, which benefit Belize within the Caribbean and Central America.
Discussions also covered the implementation of the EU’s Global Gateway Investment Agenda, which aims to boost investment in Belize in digital transformation, climate and energy, transport, health, and education. Updates on the EU-Economic Partnership Agreement, including its challenges and opportunities, were also provided.
The statement said Belize and the EU reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening their partnership at the multilateral level, particularly in the ongoing Fourth International Conference on Small Islands Developing States (SIDS) in Antigua and Barbuda and the UNGA Summit of the Future in September 2024.
The statement said Belize’s interest in being added to the list of countries benefiting from the Schengen visa waiver was also discussed. It added that human rights, the situation in Haiti, the Russian aggression against Ukraine, and the war in Gaza were also on the agenda.
The statement said that the meeting also discussed the ongoing case before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding Guatemala’s territorial, maritime, and insular claim on Belize and the EU’s support for confidence-building measures in the Adjacent Zone between Belize and Guatemala ahead of the ICJ’s ruling.
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