A short while ago at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City, Prime Minister Said Musa addressed world leaders at the 60th session of the General Assembly. This focus of this year's g-a is the Millennium Development Goals and in his brief minutes on the world stage, Musa says Belize is still battling economic inequality, among other problems.
Said Musa, Prime Minister of Belize
"As a young, developing nation we are faced with various demographic and economic challenges. For example 52 percent of our population is less than 19 years of age, 51 percent of our people live in rural areas, and the population density is 10.9 persons per square kilometer, which increases the cost of infrastructural development.
Growing inequality and income disparity, the rise in poverty hotspots especially within urban and indigenous communities, youth unemployment and malnutrition are critical MDG-related challenges that Belize is facing.
While we have made significant progress with respect to reversing the spread of malaria and tuberculosis, new emerging non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes and hypertension, are on the rise.
In addition, our vulnerability to external shocks such as exploding oil prices, the dismantling of preferential access to industrial countries for agricultural commodities and vulnerability to destructive hurricanes make it difficult for countries like Belize to avoid high public debt, which in turn restricts our ability to invest in public and social services to reach all our people."
You can read the full text of Musa's speech at Belize.gov.bz.
Musa is accompanied to the General Assembly by Foreign Affairs Minister Godfrey Smith and Ambassador to the United States Lisa Shoman, as well as a gaggle of old buddies, politicos, and contract officers. Musa returns home on Saturday after meeting with Belizean-Americans in Brooklyn tomorrow.
