By Aaron Humes: The Cabinet of Belize has approved a Comprehensive Disaster Risk Management Country Work Programme for the period 2026 to 2030. This innovative roadmap is designed to integrate disaster risk management into all aspects of national development, establishing a thorough, multi-year strategy aimed at improving the country’s preparedness and response capabilities in the face of natural disasters.
The announcement follows a high-level engagement between the Government of Belize and senior officials from the United Nations, including the Deputy Chief of the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) for the Americas and the Caribbean, Saskia Carusi, and the United Nations Resident Coordinator for Belize and El Salvador, Raúl Salazar. Minister of Public Service and Disaster Risk Management, Henry Charles Usher, and Chief Executive Officer Rolando Zetina represented the Belizean government during the discussions held on February 12.
Key topics of the meeting included the expansion of Belize’s Comprehensive Disaster Management Country Work Programme, as well as reinforcing cooperation with the UN on issues related to disaster risk governance and emerging threats. The officials emphasized the importance of strengthening Belize’s coordination framework and policies for disaster preparedness, particularly in the context of increasing cybersecurity and technological risks.
An important focus of the engagement was the evaluation of Belize’s progress under the Early Warnings for All (EW4All) initiative, which aims to establish comprehensive, inclusive early warning systems for multiple hazards across the nation. This initiative is a crucial element of Belize’s long-term strategy to enhance risk knowledge and preparedness in light of climate-related hazards.
Carusi underscored the need for proactive risk governance across various sectors, a sentiment echoed by Salazar, who reiterated the UN’s commitment to offering coordinated technical assistance and strategic programming to deliver tangible benefits to the people of Belize.
This recent engagement builds upon previous high-level discussions held in August, reflecting an ongoing alignment between Belize’s national priorities and international disaster risk reduction frameworks. With the implementation of the Comprehensive Disaster Risk Management Country Work Programme, Belize aims to strengthen its resilience against natural disasters and safeguard the well-being of its citizens.
The post Belize advances disaster risk management strategy with new work program appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
By Aaron Humes: The Cabinet of Belize has approved a Comprehensive Disaster Risk Management Country Work Programme for the period 2026 to 2030. This innovative roadmap is designed to integrate disaster risk management into all aspects of national development, establishing a thorough, multi-year strategy aimed at improving the country’s preparedness and response capabilities in the
The post Belize advances disaster risk management strategy with new work program appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
