United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees visits Belize

From 4 to 6 December 2024, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, visited Belize, where he attended the Seventh Annual Meeting of the Comprehensive Regional Protection and Solutions Framework (VII MIRPS). 

During his visit, the High Commissioner also met with Prime Minister, Hon. John Briceño, and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Hon. Francis Fonseca, the United Nations Country Team, and asylum-seeker and refugee families.  

Mr Grandi’s meeting with the UNCT was led by Raul Salazar, United Nations Resident Coordinator for El Salvador and Belize, who noted the excellent work being carried out by the United Nations in Belize, including UNHCR’s significant role in addressing climate change issues. 

The meeting addressed the strategic interagency collaboration required to ensure that the needs of asylum-seekers and refugees were promptly met, and Mr. Grandi thanked the UNCT for participating in the UN Common Pledge 2.0. initiative for refugee inclusion. 

While in Belize, Mr. Grandi also participated in an Amnesty Ceremony at which 17 persons seeking asylum in Belize were presented with Permanent Residency Cards that affirm their legal status in the country.