Belize to assume SICA presidency
Effective July first, Belize will assume the role of pro-tem president of the Central American Integration System. SICA, an organization made up of seven neighbouring countries, is designed to promote and coordinate international relations and to protect natural resources. According to Moises Cal, Belize’s Ambassador to Central America, our role for the next six months will be to devise programs for sustainable development in the member countries. But also high on our agenda will be to enhance ties between the Caribbean Community and Central America mainland.
Moises Cal, Belize’s Ambassador to Central America
“For many years now we’ve been talking about Belize being the bridge, this famous bridge between Central America and the Caribbean, because fortunately, we belong to both sub-regions. Geographically, we are Central America and historically, culturally etcetera, we are Caribbean, [so] now is our unique opportunity to do so.”
“We will promote the idea of strengthening the relations in professional education, health, as well as other issues such as trade. Costa Rica and Trinidad and Tobago have signed a free trade agreement and that has now been expanded to include CARICOM and Central America. Perhaps it’s time now for us to look at a agreement between CARICOM and Central America.”
“When CARICOM and Central America become coordinated in that area, we’re talking about twenty-one votes. We can determine who the next Secretary General of the O.A.S. can be or the Deputy Secretary General or the Secretary General of the A.C.S., Association of Caribbean States, among other key international positions. Each sub-region shares many, many problems, for example, in terms of natural disasters. We can coordinate our efforts in that respect or we can also work very closely in terms of climate change and transnational crime, etcetera.”
Janelle Chanona
“And realistically we can get all of this done in six months?”
Moises Cal
“Well it is perhaps a little bit ambitious to say that in December we will have everything consolidated, but at least we would have a solid foundation.”
According to Ambassador Cal, Guatemala will become the next country to assume the SICA presidency in January 2004.
