Belize Addresses the U.N. International Migration Review Forum

Ramon Cervantes

Minister of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Immigration Ramon Cervantes also gave an address at the United Nations’ First International Migration Review Forum. During his speech, Cervantes says that Belize continues to engage in local, national, regional and global initiatives to address immigration through the implementation of the global compact for safe, orderly and regular migration. Here’s an excerpt of his speech.

Ramon Cervantes, Minister of State, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade & Immigration

“Belize has been guided by the twenty-three objectives of the GCM in managing migration at the local and national levels which exponentially relates to the regional and global levels. We have been working to reduce the risks and vulnerabilities that migrants face by respecting, protecting and fulfilling their human rights and by providing them with assistance. The plethora of GCM related policy instruments and best practices utilized by Belize spans across various government ministries in partnership with our international regional and local organizations. Madam President, in 2021, Belize implemented and commenced several initiatives including the following. Belize implemented a migrant worker protocol. Belize facilitated the regularization of irregular migrants who immigration status became irregular during border closure due to the COVID pandemic. Belize waived the fees for nineteen months of payments to upgrade their status. We participated in several community outreach initiatives countrywide through the Ministry of Immigration with the International Organization for Migration. We continued with the digitization project with the International Organization for Migration. We embarked on the implementation of the new E-passport system, the electronic passport issuance and control system which we will launch in October of this year. Special work permits were issued to asylum seekers. We expanded a two-year project with the United Nation High Commission for Refugees.”