South Korea, May 26, 2023.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries of the Republic of Korea invited Prime Minister Hon. John Briceño, Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Investment, to be the keynote speaker at the World Climate Industry Expo – Leaders’ Summit in Busan, Republic of Korea. The summit will take place on May 27, under the theme “Global Cooperation and Solidarity for the Fight against Climate Change in the Ocean.”
Hon. John Briceño’s delegation includes Hon. Eamon Courtenay, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Immigration, and Dr. Osmond Martinez, Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Economic Development.
The delegation met with Dr. Frank Rijsberman, Director General of the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI). The GGGI was established as an international intergovernmental organization in 2012 with a vision to have a low-carbon resilient world and to support its members in transforming their economies into a green growth economic model. The institute works closely with the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and focuses on assisting developing nations with capacity building and the mobilization of climate finance. With the need for maximizing climate finance in Belize, the GGGI invited Belize to become a member enjoying the benefits of capacity-building and technical assistance.
Prime Minister Briceño and his delegation also visited the GCF Headquarters. Their discussions centered on improving the approval process of the Project Preparation Facility, projects proposed by Belize that will be going to the Board of Governors for approval, the accreditation of the Development Finance Corporation, and the re-accreditation of the National Accredited Entity — the Protected Areas Conservation Trust — and the Regional Accredited Entity — the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre.
The Prime Minister also invited representatives of the GCF to visit Belize to have a firsthand experience of the challenges Belize faces due to climate change. The meeting ended favourably, with GCF offering assistance in providing capacity-building expertise within our human resource sector.
The Belize delegation concluded their day with a working dinner meeting hosted by H.E. Hyoeun Jenny Kim, Ambassador and Deputy Minister of Climate Change in Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Later today, the Prime Minister is scheduled to meet with the Prime Minister Han Duck-soo of South Korea.
Ends
For more information, contact:
Dr. Osmond Martinez
Chief Executive Officer
Ministry of Economic Development
