YouSaid · the spoken record

Wilfred Elrington

lines on the record: 243
first: 2008-09-24
most recent: 2019-09-24
sittings or episodes: 12
sources: un-general-debate

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“We see injustice perpetrated against the people of Taiwan, who uphold the core purposes and principles of the United Nations, while, in contrast, the United Nations fails to uphold those purposes and principles with respect to them. For more than half a century, the people of Cuba have been the victims of the injustice of an egregious and illegal unilateral embargo. We also see injustice continuing to cast a shadow over the peoples of Palestine, Syria, Yemen, Western Sahara and South Sudan, among others. The situation in Venezuela is one that continues to challenge all of us in our region and hemisphere. Belize fully subscribes to the position of CARICOM, which underscores respect for international law and international principles and urges resolution through dialogue. To that end, CARICOM has offered its own good offices.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“We have been at the forefront of the global fight to protect and preserve our shared natural environment against environmental degradation and climate change and to ensure the sustainable use of the planet, especially of our oceans, which sustain life on earth. Through the Caribbean Community, we are also leading the charge to deliver reparations to the victims of slavery and their descendants. For Belize, as a State Member of the United Nations, advocating for peaceful cooperation among States, the right to self-determination for all peoples and the promotion and protection of human rights is a non-derogable duty. We therefore cannot remain silent wherever injustice persists.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“In this spirit, we expect the United Nations to act, and we therefore insist that the overdue reforms of the peace and security architecture of the United Nations, especially the Security Council, be completed forthwith so that there can be no obstacle to action. Belize has long supported the United Nations in fulfilling its role. We have supported its endeavours to forge new partnerships for development, advance global health policies, bring justice to victims of crimes against humanity, protect the most vulnerable and control the spread of weapons of mass destruction, including small arms and light weapons.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“As we embrace a new era of openness, transparency and accountability, United Nations operations must also reflect the openness, transparency and accountability of all who engage and benefit from international cooperation. We depend on the United Nations to champion and protect the rule of law, ensure the universality of core agreements and develop new treaties in order to address gaps where they exist. That is why Belize looks to the United Nations as a firewall between democracy and tyranny, between social justice and oppression, and between the global good and self-interest. Its ultimate role is to protect the interests of humankind as a whole.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“The United Nations can serve as a global incubator for genuine and durable multi-stakeholder partnerships that can foster innovation and entrepreneurship in SIDS. At the national level, we are ready to engage in discussions on how to ensure that the United Nations is fit for our country’s purposes on the ground as we aim to implement the ambitious 2030 Agenda and develop country-specific solutions for sustainable financing. Belize fully agrees with the Secretary-General that the United Nations has a crucial role to play as a catalyst, an innovator, a convenor and a champion of what works. Since its inception, the United Nations has been orchestrating a rules-based framework for helping countries to cooperate and take collective action.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“President, for holding a special session on Hurricane Irma. I wish to extend my own Government’s pledge of solidarity to the members of our Caribbean family that were devastated by that unprecedented storm and, more recently, by Hurricane Maria. Hurricanes Irma and Maria have exposed the acute humanitarian challenge and the equally acute development challenge that SIDS face. That challenge is, without question, a global one, as the Secretary- General has rightly stated. We look forward to engaging in action-oriented discussions in order to facilitate piloting such financing-for-sustainable-development initiatives across SIDS as debt swaps for climate action and the expansion of climate risk insurance, and to support adaptation measures at individual to national levels.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“It would behoove the United Nations to develop a participatory framework for the private sector in order to keep account of their commitments made and actions taken to advance global goals. The High-level Political Forum offers a useful platform for integrating such a framework. The United Nations should also develop appropriate capacities to track the alignment of private financial flows with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It is also incumbent on the United Nations to accelerate progress in redefining development metrics to respond to the anomaly of heavily indebted middle-income countries, particularly those with unique challenges, such as small island developing States. Belize welcomes the Secretary-General’s commitment to SIDS. I would like to take this opportunity to commend him and you, Mr.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“With the ongoing crises resulting from the withdrawal of correspondent banking services from relationships with our indigenous financial institutions, the entire Caribbean is experiencing this reality. To the likes of Bank of America or JPMorgan Chase it matters not that ending correspondent banking relations with a national bank or a central bank effectively excludes that nation from the global financial system, and, in response, the country where those banks are located offers nothing more than sympathy. That is a major concern, not just for the Caribbean but for all developing countries, given the universal pivot towards the private sector financing the development agenda.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Our external public debt stands at 70 per cent of our gross domestic product, or $2.3 billion, and the domestic debt at 22 per cent of gross domestic product, or $750 million. The cost of interest for these debt obligations is $109 million for the current fiscal year alone. Without viable alternatives, my Government has to finance its development by contracting loans at market rates. My Government has endeavoured to appeal to our private creditors to renegotiate the onerous bonds that threaten to upend the sustainability of our debt. However, the world of international private finance does not place a high priority on public policy, much less the public policy of a foreign Government.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Because of its universal nature, the United Nations is in the best position to foster a more inclusive, transparent and consultative process for addressing such issues as international cooperation on tax matters and the broader question of financing for sustainable development. Notwithstanding our best efforts, we cannot meet the costs of implementation with our domestic resources alone. We rely on our bilateral partners from the North and the South. We have also developed strong working relationships with multilateral development banks. But with our current status as a middle-income country, our access to grant and concessional financing is severely constrained. Belize is in the unenviable position of being a heavily indebted middle-income country.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“They also dissuade investors and undermine the significant legislative and administrative measures undertaken by our Government to ensure Belize’s compliance with international standards and legal obligations. But even worse, they undermine the very legitimacy of the institutions that promulgate the global standards by which we are all supposed to be measured. In Belize’s view, the United Nations must enforce the necessary checks and balances that are part of the international financial architecture. We see a role for the United Nations in acting as a central multilateral forum where efforts are consolidated and coherence and international cooperation promoted on issues that support domestic resource mobilization.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“In 2013, Belize adopted the multilateral Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters, the purpose of which is to facilitate cooperation among jurisdictions with a view to combating tax avoidance and evasion internationally. Additionally, Belize is committed to the Automatic Exchange of Information standard and has entered into 31 bilateral Exchange of Information agreements. Nevertheless, Belize’s reputation, financial industry and economy remain vulnerable as a result of unilateral declarations that have labelled our jurisdiction as uncooperative or non-compliant. Such unilateral declarations cause undue damage to Belize’s reputation and the integrity of its financial services industry.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“The Government has strengthened the institutional capacity, legislative framework and supervisory mandate of its financial intelligence unit. The Caribbean Financial Action Task Force has determined that Belize is in compliance with international standards. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s Global Forum on Transparency and Exchange of Information for Tax Purposes, which at present sets international standards on tax cooperation, has listed Belize as a largely compliant tax jurisdiction, following Belize successful completion of the Global Forum peer review of its legislative, regulatory and administrative framework.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Domestically, my Government is strengthening its capacity to improve revenue collection. lncentivizing business investment in Belize is also a critical action point for my Government. Like other vulnerable small island developing States (SIDS), Belize saw a sharp decline in foreign direct investment over the period from 2015 to 2016. As of 2016, foreign direct investment flows to SIDS represented only 0.2 per cent of overall global flows. To buck this downward trend, we have reformed the incentives for doing business in Belize to comport with the policy space permitted by our World Trade Organization obligations. We have also reformed key institutions to ensure the integrity of our financial services industry.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“The region has risen to meet these challenges by adopting its own counter-terrorism strategy and pioneering innovative approaches to building resilience and facilitating its transition to low- and no-carbon economies across the region. I will now address the challenges and opportunities of financing people-centred development. The cost of implementation is by no means negligible. At the national level, conservative estimates put the cost of implementation of our Growth and Sustainable Development Strategy at a quarter of Belize’s gross domestic product. Belize’s development finance strategy mirrors the Addis Ababa Agenda for Action. We are tapping into a mix of domestic and international resources through various channels, keeping in mind the inhospitable international policy environment.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“In addition to our actions at the national level, we are also undertaking regional action by leveraging the strength of the Caribbean Community to optimize results for all our peoples by uniting our efforts aimed at fighting disease and security threats. Belize proudly hosted the launch of the CARICOM First Ladies and Spouses of Prime Ministers Network in support of the Implementation of SDG 5 and the Every Caribbean Woman, Every Caribbean Child initiative. Our leaders are also renewing and deepening efforts to tackle non-communicable diseases through targeted approaches aimed at promoting healthy lifestyles, starting with the youngest members of our communities. For our region, security and climate change are equally fundamental threats to our survival.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“These early accomplishments are mere benchmarks. We know that for our sustainable development, we must go above and beyond such accomplishments, so my Government is setting even more ambitious targets. At the Ocean Conference, we announced our commitment to further strengthening the legislative and regulatory framework on fisheries, increasing our marine reserves from 3 per cent to 10 per cent of our territorial waters and implementing legislation to curb the use of plastics. Among our ambitious climate-action contributions, Belize is committed to zero-emissions growth in its forestry sector and aims to achieve 85 per cent renewables in electricity production by 2027.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“We have worked assiduously to uplift every Belizean, especially those who have been victims of anachronistic prejudices, and we have done so with an eye to ensuring that successive generations can benefit from the fruits of our labours and our natural resources. Our development has been modest in relative terms, but progressive and steady. We have readily embraced the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and launched our Growth and Sustainable Development Strategy for Belize 2016-2019, which incorporates the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Our nationally determined contributions under the Paris Agreement further complement the SDGs. We are already seeing the dividends of that early investment in policy and action. Belize has met several goals on road safety, marine protection and sustainable fisheries.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Be assured nonetheless that my Government and people have every confidence in your leadership, and I pledge to you our full and active support as you embark on the task of addressing the agenda of the seventy-second session of the Assembly, focusing on people and striving for peace and a decent life for all on a sustainable planet. With regard to the Belizean experience, Belize celebrated its thirty-sixth year of independence on 21 September. In the 36 years since independence, we have matured into a unified nation, embracing all peoples in the fabric of our society and enjoying a peaceful existence.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“On behalf of the Government and the people of Belize, I extend our heartfelt condolences to the populations of our sister countries in the Caribbean for the destruction and loss of life and property caused by Hurricanes Irma and Maria. Belize stands united with other friendly countries of the world to assist and to render our full support to our sister countries and friends in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). I also extend Belize’s warmest feelings of solidarity and sympathy to the people of Mexico, our immediate neighbours to the north, as they commence a difficult recovery process following the death and destruction caused by the two recent earthquakes. As you observed in your opening statement (see A/72/PV.3), Mr. President, you have assumed the presidency of the General Assembly at a most challenging time for multilateralism.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“We also take this opportunity to thank the United States President, Barack Obama, as he too prepares to leave office later this year. We wish him every success in his post-presidential life.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“It is up to us leaders, working together and shouldering our respective sovereign responsibilities, to ensure that every nation, large and small, and every individual, man, woman or child, shall have a say in our noble endeavours to achieve a more just, equitable and secure world. Our task is clear. Its attainment is not impossible, but neither is it without difficulty. Let us get it done. Belize stands ready to do its part. In conclusion, as Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is beginning to prepare to leave office at the end of 10 sterling years of service to the United Nations and to the world as a whole, Belize takes this opportunity to thank him and to wish him every success in his post- Secretary-General life.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“We join the international community in condemning those actions, which pose a clear and present danger not only to South Korea, but to the entire world. While we are heartened by the indefatigable efforts of the United Nations and other philanthropic organizations and individuals to alleviate the suffering of migrants and other displaced persons worldwide, it is evident that much more needs to be done. We in Belize pledge to do all in our power and within our means to discharge our obligations to all suffering persons who seek our succour. In a country as small as Belize, in a world as big as ours, we are all citizens of planet Earth, big or small. The policies that we devise at any level must be reflective of that reality.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“We join others in calling for an early end to the tragic conflicts in Syria and Libya, which are an affront to humanity. We adhere fully to the right of peoples to self-determination, and reiterate our solidarity with the struggle for liberation and independence of our Sahrawi brothers and sisters. Belize remains disheartened, although not discouraged, by the intractable Israeli-Palestinian conflict. We believe that the only just solution to that conflict is one that results in two sovereign and independent States, living side by side in peace and security within secure and recognized borders. We stand in solidarity with South Korea in the face of North Korea’s irresponsible experiments with nuclear and missile programmes, including the conduct of nuclear tests, in violation of Security Council resolutions.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“In that regard, we stand in solidarity with the Government and the people of Venezuela in their efforts to resolve their domestic issues in accordance with their laws and Constitution. We also remain very concerned about the unabated cholera epidemic in Haiti, and urge the United Nations to take all necessary steps to help the Haitian people end that terrible scourge, occasioned by agents of the United Nations. Belize welcomes the tremendous progress already made in the peace process in Colombia, which we fully support. We look forward to an early and successful implementation of the agreement. We also commend the progress made in the bilateral relations between Cuba and the United States. Belize reiterates its call for an early end to the economic embargo against Cuba.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“Belize celebrated its thirty-fifth anniversary of independence on the same day as the International Day of Peace. Peace and stability in our hemisphere are critical to the development and well-being of the peoples of the Americas. For that reason, Belize remains concerned about the status of the controversy between Guyana and Venezuela. We urge the Secretary- General to urgently exercise his authority under the 1966 Agreement to resolve the controversy over the frontier between Venezuela and British Guiana in order to arrive at a choice of options that would definitively settle the border controversy. Belize strictly adheres to the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of sovereign States.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“Setbacks in the global economy and externalities resulting from institutional policies, both public and private, to safeguard against financial and other security risks, as well as the adverse impacts of climate change, have all conspired against Belize’s sustainable development trajectory. Today, we are rebuilding our country in the aftermath of Hurricane Earl, which in less than eight hours resulted in the loss of some 5.5 per cent of our gross domestic product. Belize fully endorses the views and sentiments that all other delegations have expressed in their pleas for urgent relief from the deleterious consequences of the decisions by global banks to withdraw correspondent banking relationships from our financial institutions.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“In that spirit of inclusiveness, Belize urges that the Republic of China on Taiwan be accorded meaningful participation in the work of the United Nations. The Taiwanese Government has been working assiduously to promote international cooperation and development, in line with the spirit and principles of the Millennium Development Goals. It has also fully embraced the Sustainable Development Goals. We urge the international community to welcome Taiwan’s meaningful participation in the mechanisms, meetings and activities of the United Nations specialized agencies, including the World Health Organization, the International Civil Aviation Organization and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“However, in response to the request of a not inconsiderable segment of our population, our Government has launched a limited appeal against the judgment, challenging only the expanded definition of “sex” by the High Court. In April, Belize was among the first countries to sign and ratify the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. We also commend the United States of America and China for their leadership for doing so as well. Belize fully supports efforts, under the auspices of the United Nations, to design a new international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction, and welcomes the decision to convene a high-level United Nations conference to support the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14 in June 2017.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“Complementary to those economic and environmental developments, Belize is incrementally providing free public education at the primary and secondary levels. It has established a Maya Land Rights Commission so as to implement measures for the identification and protection of rights arising from Mayan customary land tenure. It is rolling out a national health-insurance policy, and work is in progress to advance national efforts towards gender equality and equity. The national debate on social issues recently took a turn that could set a precedent. A High Court ruling held that Section 53 of our Criminal Code, which criminalizes consensual sexual acts between same-sex partners, is unconstitutional. The ruling also expands the definition of “sex” to include sexual orientation.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“Belize acknowledges the centrality of the United Nations in the multilateral order and as a uniting force for championing the common good. Its leadership likewise remains central to international peace and security, to development and to the rule of law. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is truly a historical milestone for the entire world. The essence of sustainable development is entrenched in the Belize Constitution. Our economic development has fully embraced the indivisibility of social and environmental policies. From the early 1990s, Belize began to put in place development plans for its fledgling industries that are consistent with a progressive legal regime for environmental protection.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“Moreover, the wanton threat of the use of force by a nation against its neighbour is wholly uncalled for, recklessly dangerous and in clear violation of the Charter of the United Nations and can in no way be countenanced. Belize’s only wish is to live in peace and harmony with all its neighbours, including Guatemala. We fully appreciate that with each passing day, with more and more Guatemalans trespassing into our country, despoiling our natural resources and engaging in illegal and destructive activities, the potential for violent incidents and conflicts has become increasingly probable and problematic. That situation makes a prompt and peaceful end to the anachronistic and unfounded territorial claim on our country an urgent imperative.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“The objective, impartial findings of fact established the correctness of Belize’s position from the start, and the wholly erroneous nature of the allegations levelled against our country by Guatemala. The report completely absolves Belize of any and all blame for the incident. It makes manifest the wrongness of Guatemala’s accusation against Belize and against the personnel of our Belize Defence Force. Guatemala has since then publicly rejected the Commission’s report. However, it is certainly irresponsible, if not reprehensible and utterly unacceptable, that Guatemala should now seek to reject the results of a process that it had specifically requested and agreed to and which was conducted by OAS-appointed independent third-country professionals with impeccable credentials and with no axe to grind.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“Shots were fired by both groups, the Guatemalans and the Belizean joint patrol, on that ill-fated night. And, the following morning, elements of the Guatemalan Army, along with civilians from a nearby Guatemalan village, entered Belizean territory illegally, visited the site, contaminated the scene and withdrew and withheld evidentiary material that could have been useful to the investigation. In the wake of the incident, Guatemala launched a fanatical public-relations campaign against Belize, falsely alleging that the Belize Defence Force was responsible for the death of the minor. In addition, the Guatemalan President publicly announced the massing of troops along our western and southern borders. However, the report of the Special Independent Commission chronicles what really took place on the night of the incident.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“At the time of his detention, he was illegally carrying a .22-calibre rifle and was in illegal possession of wild game. He was neither mistreated, arrested nor prosecuted by the Belizean authorities. Instead, he was promptly sent back safely to his country. The report further discloses that the deceased, his brother, also a minor, and their father were knowingly and unlawfully well within Belizean territory on the night of the incident, and that none of the wounds inflicted was caused by weapons carried by personnel of the Belize Defence Force. The wounds were inflicted by small-calibre firearms carried on the night of the incident by two members of a local conservation-oriented non-governmental organization that was part of the Belize patrol.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“And, at the specific behest of Guatemala, Belize requested the Secretary General of the Organization of American States to launch an official special independent investigation into the incident. The Organization of American States commissioned two senior eminently qualified specialists to undertake that special investigation, with the full knowledge and approval of the Guatemalan Government. At the time of their appointment, Guatemala expressed no reservations as to their competence, suitability or otherwise, to undertake that investigation. Last August, the Special Commission delivered its findings to the Secretary General of the Organization of American States. The report discloses that the deceased had been detained by security personnel in Belize a mere month prior to the incident.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“Indeed, between September 2014 and March 2016, a Belizean Tourism Police officer was killed and a Belize Defence Force sergeant was ambushed and shot, though not fatally, by trespassers entering Belize from Guatemala. Tragically, and much to Belize’s regret, on 20 April 2016 a Guatemalan minor was fatally shot and his father and brother injured when they came in contact with a Belizean patrol in one of our protected national parks in the dead of night. The Belize Police forthwith began an investigation. Moreover, officials of the Organization of American States (OAS), stationed in the Adjacency Zone between Belize and Guatemala, immediately commenced their own investigation.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“The trespassers engage with impunity, day and night, in gold panning, hunting for wild game and birds, pillaging Mayan temples, logging illegally and cultivating crops, including marijuana, for commercial purpose. In the process, our priceless forest is being decimated, our potable and sea waters are being compromised, and our coral reefs are being choked to death by sediments that run off the denuded mountainsides after each torrential downpour. Fully cognizant of the devastating environmental impact that such practices are having in neighbouring countries and further afield, Belize cannot afford to let the same thing happen to us. From time to time, in the course of attempting to apprehend the trespassers, firearms have been used by Belize security personnel and by the trespassers, who are invariably armed.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“However, as the northern side of the river is clearly Belizean territory, the unimpeded use and enjoyment of that side of the river is the right of every Belizean citizen. Belize has therefore promptly and properly protested each attempt to impede our citizens from using the river. Additionally, we have engaged our Guatemalan counterparts in dialogue under the good offices of the Secretary General of the Organization of American States with a view of putting a speedy end to that potentially perilous practice. At the same time, the situation along our western border has also been vexing. Continuous illegal entry by armed trespassers from Guatemala have persisted despite the valiant efforts of our border patrol to deter them.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“Though many perils lurk along our forested borders and in our maritime and riverine territories, we have been protecting and patrolling our borders with determination, so as to ensure the safety and security of our beloved homeland. At the same time, our untiring diplomats have striven mightily to resolve the long-standing territorial dispute, which is our paramount foreign-policy concern, by using all the diplomatic channels and means at their disposal. Regrettably, though not unpredictably, there have been hostile incidents between the civilian and military personnel of both Belize and Guatemala on our southern border on the Sarstoon River. Guatemalan naval personnel have repeatedly impeded the peaceful ingress and egress of civilian and military Belizeans on the river, wrongfully claiming that the river is theirs.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“In the nascent years of our independence, when civil war ravaged our Central American region, Belize was the beacon of hope and sanctuary of choice for thousands of refugees, including Guatemalans, desperately seeking to escape the scourges of war, poverty and oppression. Belize welcomed thousands of refugees, amounting to well in excess of 30 per cent of our population at the time. Indeed, even to this day, the flow of migrants into our country continues unabated. Belize is a nation of migrants living in unity, peace and harmony. Our diversity, national identity and pride have long been a source of strength for our people. We have never cowered in the face of the repeated threats to our security by our neighbour, Guatemala. We remain steadfast in our resolve to protect and preserve our sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“Allow me at the outset to congratulate the President of the General Assembly on his election to preside over the seventy-first session of the Assembly. I wish to assure him of Belize’s fullest support. Thirty-five years ago, Belize became a State Member of the United Nations. Membership confirmed our independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and our place among equals in the community of nations. Regrettably, however, membership has not been able to resolve the territorial claim laid on our country some 80 years ago by Guatemala. Our track record since our independence confirms that Belize holds sacrosanct the dignity of human beings, the principles of justice, equality, inclusivity and the rule of law. Belizeans are inherently altruistic and compassionate.”
2016-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 71 (2016)
“We also stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Guyana and Venezuela as they work towards an amicable solution to their territorial dispute. Earlier this year, we signed a protocol to the Special Agreement between Belize and Guatemala, to submit Guatemala’s territorial insular and maritime claim to our country to the International Court of Justice. We expect that will facilitate and speed up the process to finally and definitively put an end to the unfounded 15-29816 35/45 A/70/PV.25 02/10/2015 claims that have plagued us and our region for far too long.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“We have made it easier for Belizeans to access affordable credit by ensuring an unprecedented reduction in interest rates through the establishment of our very own National Bank of Belize. Unemployment has been significantly reduced, by 10 per cent, while at the same time we have been able to keep the inflation rate among the lowest in our region. Belize believes fervently in integration and in peaceful coexistence. To that end, we are also doing our part to ensure that peace and security prevail in our part of the world. Together with all Latin American and Caribbean countries, we have jointly designated our region as a zone of peace. Alongside the Caribbean Community, we stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Haiti as they deal with the human rights impasse with their sister nation, the Dominican Republic.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“Our National Assembly has recently enacted a new and robust Banking Act and has improved regulations for our Ship Registry to bring them in line with global efforts, including those of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, so as to enhance transparency and strengthen our legislative framework. Our Government has focused very heavily on improving the lives of ordinary Belizeans. We are investing millions of dollars in improving infrastructure countrywide, including the construction and refurbishment of schools, sporting facilities, hospitals and roads. We are investing heavily in road safety to reduce injuries and deaths associated with traffic accidents. Access to public health services has been expanded throughout the country.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“We call upon powerful arms-producing nations to refrain from selling arms and weapons to those who use them to oppress others, and to warlords in war-torn countries. Belize has always taken peace, security and respect for human rights very seriously. Our Constitution is modelled on the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, in which the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms is enshrined. The Belize Government assiduously respects the rule of law. Belize also endeavours to be a good global citizen. Our laws have evolved to reflect international norms and standards, covering areas from human rights to finance, creating enabling environments that promote and protect the fundamental freedoms of our people, and fostering socially responsible investment in our country.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“We continue to call for the United Nations to engage with Taiwan, whose 23 million people stand ready to contribute, especially through United Nations specialized agencies, to resolving the world’s problems and who have every expectation that their interests should be heard and represented. We welcome the unanimous support for the Security Council decision to terminate seven resolutions that inflicted sanctions on Iran upon receipt by the Council of a report from the International Atomic Energy Agency. Belize also welcomes the re-establishment of diplomatic relations between the United States and Cuba, and we urge the United States to now proceed expeditiously to ending the very damaging embargo against Cuba and to return Guantanamo Bay to the Cuban Government.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“Likewise, we stand ready to provide every support to United Nation initiatives that will bring the warring factions in Syria, and in Israel and Palestine, to the table to find peaceful solutions to their differences. We are committed to combating terrorism, and we unreservedly condemn the atrocities perpetrated against women and girls in Nigeria by Boko Haram. We express our solidarity with the Nigerian Government on its efforts to dismantle that criminal gang and bring its members to justice. Belize supports the ongoing initiatives to reform the United Nations to make it more representative and better able to maintain peace and resolve conflicts.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“Belize readily shoulders its responsibilities as a member of this community of nations. We are committed to doing everything in our power that will promote the containment, if not the 34/45 15-29816 02/10/2015 A/70/PV.25 reversal, of climate change. We have joined with our brothers and sisters of the small island and low-lying developing States in a pioneering initiative — the Small Island Developing States Sustainable Energy Initiative, which Belize proudly hosts — to foster our transition to low-carbon and climate-resilient economies. We also commit to pushing for a robust and ambitious regime in Paris that will have all of us working in lockstep to stabilize greenhouse gas emissions and safeguard the planet and the sustainable development of our people.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“Through our awesome power of communication the world is stricken with the unanswered cries of men, women and children suffering from indiscriminate acts perpetrated in Syria, Palestine, Israel, Nigeria, Ukraine and beyond. This condition brings me back to the question posed at the beginning of my statement regarding the capacity of the United Nations to address the most pressing global challenges. Belize entertains no doubt that the power, wealth and knowledge that lie within the collective membership of the United Nations make it capable of achieving stupendous feats. But we must first commit to working together and with all stakeholders — large and small, public and private. Unity is strength. The might of the United Nations rests in its universality and the endurable values enshrined in its Charter.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)