By William Ysaguirre
Belize will benefit from a US$ 1.5 million trade program launched by the Caribbean Development Bank this week along with the Economic Partnership Agreement financed by the European Union and the Standby Facility of the Common Single Market Economy (CSME).
The program to strengthen trade was top of the agenda for CDB President Dr. Gene Leon, who led a high-level mission on a week-long visit to Belize on Monday, February 7. The CDB delegation also held a series of meetings with a cross-section of public- and private-sector interests to discuss innovative financing, advancing agriculture, and building economic and climate resilience, among other issues.
The team also hosted talks with the Prime Minister and the Cabinet, the Governor of the Belize Central Bank, the Belize Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre in Belmopan, among others. They also conducted field visits to ongoing and completed projects in infrastructure, health, climate change, education, and trade.
The Government and people of Belize have enjoyed a longstanding relationship with the CDB, and the mission built on this solid foundation to identify new opportunities and partnerships, by which the CDB might help Belize and advance the country’s development and growth agenda.
The CDB delegation included CDB Vice-President of Operations - Isaac Solomon, Director of Projects Daniel Best; senior advisor Shelton Nicholls; and Andrea Power, the coordinator for regional cooperation and integration.
The CDB was established in 1970 to contribute to the harmonious economic growth and development of its 19 borrowing member countries and has total assets of US$3.64 billion as of December 31, 2020.
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