Belmopan. December 18, 2020. 9:20 a.m.
On Thursday, December 17, 2020, the Cabinet Secretary, Ambassador Stuart Leslie, deputizing for the Governor General H.E. Sir Colville Young, received the Letters of Credence of H.E. Erwin Rudy Archila Falla, Ambassador of Guatemala to Belize and H.E. Marianne Van Steen, Ambassador of the European Union to Belize.
During a brief meeting at the Belize House in Belmopan, the Governor General welcomed Ambassador Archila Falla to Belize. Both Ambassadors expressed their hopes for greater cooperation between the two countries as well as their desire to see the case before the International Court of Justice resolved.
The Guatemalan Ambassador was accompanied by Mr. David Vargas, Minister Counsellor, and Brigadier General Rember Yonivan Menendez Gasparico, Guatemala’s Military Attaché to Belize.
Ambassador Marianne Van Steen presented her Letters of Credence virtually. The new ambassador expressed her concern over the rising cases, deaths and unemployment related to COVID-19, and shared her heartfelt sympathies over the lives lost to the virus.
Reaffirming the EU’s 30-year-long relationship with Belize, Ambassador Van Steen said, “The EU stands by Belize as it navigates this difficult period, and we reiterate our firm commitment and support to your country in its efforts to achieve development.”
For his part, Ambassador Leslie thanked Ambassador Van Steen for the EU’s continued contribution to Belize’s development and commitment to strengthening the Belize-EU partnership.
Ambassador Van Steen was joined by Mr. Fredrik Ekfeldt, Deputy Head of Mission and Mr. Nicolaus Hansmann, Team Leader for the EU Technical Office in Belize.
Ends
