Secretary General for the Central American Economic Integration System on Official Visit to Belize

H. E. Francisco Lima Mena, Secretary General of the Central American Economic Integration System (SIECA), and his delegation paid an official visit to Belize from August 29 to 30, 2022.
During his visit, the Secretary General met with members of the Spanish Lookout Chamber of Commerce and visited a few of Belize’s key production facilities in Spanish Lookout, namely, the Quality Poultry Chicken and Western Dairies milk processing plants.
The Secretary General had a bilateral meeting with Hon. Eamon Courtenay, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Immigration, which included discussions on the feasibility of Belize joining SIECA. The prospects for Belize to participate in selected elements of SIECA were also discussed, including the Central American Payment System and the Trade Facilitation platform through their 2035 Mobility and Logistics Master Plan.
Secretary General Mena also met with the National Trade Negotiating Commission to discuss economic integration, advances in trade facilitation and opportunities for Belize and the private sector for increasing trade relations with Central America.
Both Minister Courtenay and Secretary General Mena reaffirmed their commitment to pursue closer participation by Belize in SIECA and to advocate for closer relations between CARICOM and SIECA.
Minister Courtenay was supported by Ambassador Amalia Mai, Chief Executive Officer for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade; H.E. Jose Apluche, Belize’s Ambassador to Guatemala; Andy Sutherland, Director General for Foreign Trade; and other senior trade officials.