U.N.D.P. & the U.S. Assisting Belize with I.C.J. Campaign

Two partners are offering support for the I.C.J. Campaign. The United Nation Development Programme will provide high level technical advice for referenda and elections related processes.  The U.S. government announced a donation of five hundred thousand dollars through its CARSI programme, toward the I.C.J. campaign as well as the re-registration which got underway on Monday.  

Karen Bernard

Karen Bernard, Acting Resident Coordinator, UNDP

“Voting processes such as the referendum referring to the territorial dispute with Guatemala are fundamental in every vibrant and modern democracy and voting on matters of national significance is one of the rights that citizens hold and which Belize is clearly upholding.  Referenda are a decisive means to which people voice their preferences about their future and the important strategies that their countries will take.”

Adrienne Galanek

Adrienne Galanek, Chargé d’Affaires, U.S. Embassy

“The grant we are launching today has two separate but linked pieces. First it will support the voter re-registration process which just kicked off this week. Second, it will support the government of Belize’s efforts to hold an inclusive education campaign leading up to the April tenth, 2019 referendum on whether to submit the territorial dispute with Guatemala to the International Court of Justice. UNDP has deep expertise in these areas and the United States is happy to assist in bringing that experience to Belize at this important juncture. This grant, worth two hundred and fifty thousand U.S. dollars, is funded through the Central America Regional Security Initiative (CARSI) economic support fund. And fundamentally, it impacts all three of the U.S. strategic goals in Belize and the larger Central American region.”

Wilfred ‘Sedi’ Elrington

Wilfred ‘Sedi’ Elrington, Foreign Affairs Minister

“We have for the world to see, the support that we have for the initiative being given by the premiere multilateral institution in the world, the United Nations. So the United Nations is fully supportive of the initiative between Belize and Guatemala to take the matter to the I.C.J. and so is the United States…they support the initiative fully—not only by words, but they are prepared to put resources into the process as well.”