National Migration Consultations Wrap Up as Belize Shapes New Policy

As a week-long series of national consultations on migration and development came to a close today, the Ministry of Immigration, Governance and Labour says the exercise has brought together a wide cross-section of stakeholders to help shape Belize’s National Migration and Development Policy.  The consultations, which began on Friday, May 15 and concluded this morning in Belmopan, included engagements with government agencies, the private sector, tourism representatives, development partners, academia, civil society groups, and migrant communities across the country.  According to the ministry’s consultation calendar, sessions were held in Belmopan, Belize City, San Pedro, Benque Viejo, and several rural communities, including Maya Mopan, Salvapan, Valley of Peace, and Bella Vista. The discussions focused on issues tied to migration, labour, national security, education, tourism, agriculture, and economic development.  Government stakeholders officially opened the consultations on Monday, under what organizers described as a “whole-of-government approach,” while subsequent sessions examined migration’s impact on investment, tourism, productive sectors, and public services.  Today’s final session includes a debrief and wrap-up meeting aimed at identifying action points and outlining the next steps for the policy framework. We will have more on this week’s consultation sessions in our evening news.