The Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Giorgio Silli, met yesterday afternoon, 16 December 2022, with the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Immigration of Belize, Amalia Mai, accompanied by Belizean Ambassador to the Holy See Jaime Efrain Briceño at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
The enhancement of bilateral relations between Italy and Belize, cooperation in the political, economic and cultural fields and in the fight against climate change, and the prospects for integration in the Central American and Caribbean region, as well as the candidacy of Rome Expo 2030, were the central themes of the meeting.
“This meeting is a valuable opportunity to relaunch bilateral relations with Belize, a country with which we have excellent relations and to which we are devoting increasing attention” – said Undersecretary Silli during the meeting. In fact, since 8 November, Italy has had an Honorary Consulate in Belize, in Placencia, reporting to the Italian Embassy in Mexico City, which manages Italy-Belize bilateral relations and consular affairs.
“There is ample scope to consolidate our already strong friendship ties, and expand our collaboration, particularly in the scientific sphere, with the launch of academic exchanges, through scholarships, and joint research projects” – Undersecretary Silli explained on the sidelines of the meeting.
The meeting also addressed the issue of the integration prospects of the States of the Central American and Caribbean region, in particular within the Central American Integration System (SICA) and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). The SICA pursues the objective of creating a common area of peace, democracy and development marked by the respect and promotion of human rights. Along the same lines, the main purpose of CARICOM is to promote economic integration and cooperation between its Member States and to deepen coordination in foreign policy.
On the occasion of her visit to Italy, Deputy Minister Amalia Mai signed – with the Ministry of Environment and Energy Security – the Italy-CARICOM Sustainable Development Memorandum, a document in which Belize, Italy and other Caribbean countries commit themselves to work together to respect the environment and combat climate change.
