On October 13, 2021, Hon. Eamon Courtenay, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade, and Immigration; and H.E David Kuan-Chou Chien, Ambassador of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to Belize, formally signed a letter of intent for the project entitled, “Enhancing the Economic Empowerment of Women in Latin America and the Caribbean in the COVID-19 Post-Pandemic Era: Technical Assistance for Women Employment, Entrepreneurship, and Financial Inclusion”.
The project promotes women’s entrepreneurship and social inclusion through financial and technical collaborations with relevant national institutions and Taiwanese experts. Women- and youth-led micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) will benefit from extensive professional and vocational training, business incubation programmes, financial relief counselling, and a bolstered national network for MSME support.
Through this project, the Government of Taiwan is supporting Belize’s response to the impacts of the pandemic on local economic growth and social stability. MSMEs, especially those women- and youth-led, have been disproportionately hit. The Government of Belize is therefore grateful to Taiwan for this inclusive intervention towards the country’s economic and social recovery and resilience. The 15-month project launches this month and is facilitated through the Taiwan International Cooperation and Development Fund (TaiwanICDF).
Minister Courtenay and Ambassador Chien committed to working together to strengthen the bilateral relationship between Belize and Taiwan and promote shared values and mutual prosperity.