Belmopan, January 27, 2022. 5:40 p.m.
Day 1 of the Latin America (LATAM) 2022 Summit has started on a high note with Belize’s delegation taking center stage at the Caribbean region’s largest business round. This year’s summit is taking place in Cancun, Quintana Roo, Mexico, from January 26 to 29, 2022, and convenes a platform offering opportunities for bilateral meetings between government and the private sector on areas ranging from tourism, the hotel and restaurant industries, transport, healthcare to construction and manufacturing, among others.
Belize is one of only five countries to be highlighted at LATAM 2022, together with Colombia, Panama, the United States and Mexico. This significant visibility is a direct outcome of Prime Minister Hon. John Briceño actively seeking to reinforce and build relationships with Mexico and the Latin America region, specifically to expand in the areas of trade and investment.
In his address, the Hon. Jose Abelardo Mai, Minister of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise, speaking on behalf of the Prime Minister, emphasized that Belize is open for business and articulated Plan Belize’s strategic vision and objectives in support of strengthening the productive sector’s ability to actively participate in international commerce, while at the same time ensuring environmental protection and sustainable development. The latter point was echoed by Carlos Joaquin Gonzalez, Governor of the State of Quintana Roo, as being essential for ensuring the longevity of the region’s tourism product.
The governor also emphasized the importance of investments for job creation and expanding the potential for expanding the reach of Mexican investments in Central America. In turn, Lic. Sergio Leon Cervantes, President of Quintana Roo’s confederation of business associations, COPARMEX, highlighted the key benefits of investing in Belize for accessing frontier and CARICOM markets. Other significant organizations represented at the LATAM Summit 2022 include FONATUR, Mexico’s national tourism promotion agency, and UCABICIMEX, the Union of Central American Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Mexican Investments.
Belize’s robust delegation includes ministerial, executive level and technical representatives from the Office of the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and Enterprise, the Ministry of Tourism and Diaspora Relations and the Belize Tourism Board. Through one-on-one meetings with investors and sector representatives, Belize’s goal is to identify investment leads and secure solid interest in contributing to private sector growth and economic development.
Of priority on Minister Mai’s agenda is expanding and facilitating trade opportunities between Belize and Mexico for the agriculture sector, specifically in the areas of livestock, grains, aquaculture, BPOs and light manufacturing. Minister Anthony Mahler’s priority focus is on identifying opportunities for attracting investments in large-scale branded hotels and enhancing land and air connectivity between Belize and south-central Quintana Roo in order to foster package tourism and collaboration while highlighting market differentiation.
Ends
