And just before that agreement signing, the government and the United Nations held the Third Joint National Steering Committee Meeting for the United Nations Multi-Country Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework.
That's a lotta words, and the committee reviewed the progress made last year and the priorities for the upcoming Country Implementation Plan, which will be from 2024 to 2025. The meeting was co-chaired by the CEO in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amalia Mai, who explained some of the achievements made in 2023.
Amalia Mai, CEO, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
"Developing countries like Belize often face unique challenges that require tailored solutions. The national steering committee is a useful tool to guide work, outlined in the United Nations Multi-Country Sustainable Development Operation Framework 2022-2026. It is a space for discussion to align
emerging issues as government identifies new areas where valuable support is required. The coordination between the government of Belize and the UN system is geared to ensure that the UN's fit for purpose approach is accomplished. The relationship between the ministries here the various constitutions within the UN system has worked towards ensuring that the interventions and programs that are prioritized are specifically designed to address the needs and circumstances of Belize. This ensures that our development efforts are relevant and effective. Some key examples since our last encounter is the development and execution of the SDG dialogue which supported the prioritization of the commitments exposed by the prime minister at the SDG summit in September. The continued work post-amnesty across the UN system, the planning and execution of social protect summit held in October and the execution of a workshop on the development of an integrated national financing framework which we held earlier this year and we had the great opportunity to listen to what is happening in the Maldives."
