$165M Compact Signed: Belize and MCC Partner on Education and Energy

The Government of Belize and the Millennium Challenge Corporation have signed off on a 165 million US dollar compact agreement to enhance Belize’s education and energy sectors. This morning, the parties met to officially kick off the five-year project funded by a 125 million US dollar grant from the MCC and 40 million US in counterpart funding from the Government of Belize. The compact consists of two components, the Education Project and the Energy Project, geared at reducing poverty and tackling the country’s energy needs. Prime Minister John Briceno elaborated on the signing, and the work that went into formalizing the agreement centered on national development and poverty reduction.

John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize: “Through this agreement, we are embarking on a journey towards sustainable development, poverty reduction, and an inclusive growth for all Belizeans. Over the past two years our teams have engaged in rigorous research and development to determine the initiatives that would have the highest impact for our country and our citizens. We have conducted feasibility studies and engaged extensively with stakeholders from both the public and private sector to ensure that our approach is not only comprehensive but also broad. After in-depth examinations we determined that education and energy would be the two sectors of focus on the this compact. These two areas are critical to the development of our country, encompassing several targets within planned Belize’s medium-term development strategy, particularly under strategy objective number one: poverty reduction and strategic objective number two: economic transformation and growth. In the education sector, our focus is clear. We must ensure our youth are fully equipped with the necessary skills to thrive in a rapidly evolving labor market. My government is committed to increasing the number of post-primary graduates that meet the competencies in numeracy, literacy, critical thinking and subject knowledge that is necessary for success in today’s day and age.”

The compact agreement is the US Government’s first in this region and is expected to be implemented in 2025. Chief Executive Officer of the MCC Alice Albright says the project underscores the close ties shared between Belize and the US and their commitment to assisting developing nations.

Alice Albright, MCC CEO: “All of you and many others have played an unbelievable role in getting us to where we are today. The United States government and the United States people cherish our robust relationship with Belize, a key partner in the region. Your long-standing commitment to democracy, both your own, as well as your support of nascent democracies around the world, highlights why our agency MCC is so deeply proud and honored to work so closely with you while you build an economy that advances opportunity for the people of Belize. As one of Central America’s most stable democracies, Belize plays a crucial role in advancing good governance and democratic rights. Your dedication to reform and your commitment to improving the lives of your people serve as a beacon of what is possible when it comes to reducing poverty through economic growth. This compact comes at an incredibly important time, both for MCC and, dare I say, the country of Belize. MCC has just celebrated our 20th birthday and we are looking forward to a future where we can expand our impact. And that means we hope to pass legislation that allows us to work in more countries than we are currently allowed, many of which are in this region. So we are just thrilled to be signing this compact, currently our only one in the region, and work alongside the Government of Belize to improve access to high-quality education and to support Belize’s efforts to transition to a low-cost renewable energy future.”

The government has established a board comprised of both local and US officials charged with overseeing various aspects of the project.