Belize & Quintana Roo Forge New Economic Partnership

Belize — The Corozal Free Zone served as the meeting point this week for a key rapprochement between Belize and Quintana Roo. The Prime Minister of Belize, John Briceño, held a meeting with authorities from Quintana Roo to outline new routes of collaboration to boost trade, attract investment, and foster economic integration with the Caribbean.

Briceño emphasized that the dialogue allowed for progress toward a more ambitious agenda between the two governments, especially in creating productive alliances between Mexican and Belizean companies. The objective, he explained, is to manufacture goods jointly to supply the countries of CARICOM, which would broaden the market reach for both territories.

The Prime Minister reported that the executive director of investments, Nardia García, led the technical team that met with representatives of the local authorities to evaluate projects and models for joint production. "We are looking for mechanisms that allow us to integrate our capabilities and offer new products for the Caribbean," he stated.

However, the economic push faces an obstacle that Belize considers a priority: security within the Free Zone. Although this border space is promoted as a strategic hub for regional trade, recent incidents have raised alarms about the business climate.

Briceño acknowledged that the issue is a concern for investors and authorities alike. Consequently, he announced that the Belizean government has decided to link Enterprise with the Ministry of Home Affairs, allowing the National Police to increase their presence and response capacity in the northern part of the country. The measure, he said, aims to ensure more stable conditions for commercial operations.