Belize Meets OIRSA Leadership Ahead of 2026 Regional Agriculture Health Talks

In related news, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and New Growth Industries held high-level discussions today with the visiting Executive Director of OIRSA, the International Regional Animal and Plant Health Organization. Raul Antonio Rodas Suazo paid a courtesy call on Minister Rodwell Ferguson and Minister of State Alex Balona to advance preparations for the next CIRSA meeting, scheduled for March 2026 in Guatemala.  The meeting covered a wide range of emerging regional threats, including the New World Screwworm (NWS), which continues to demand close monitoring despite containment efforts in Mexico; the spread of Fusarium TR4 affecting banana-producing countries such as Ecuador, Venezuela, Colombia, and Peru; African Swine Fever’s continued presence in the Dominican Republic; and the expansion of the Giant African Snail from Costa Rica into Nicaragua. OIRSA officials stressed that confronting these threats will require upgraded inspection systems at ports of entry, including canine units and X-ray scanning technology.  Also attending today’s session were CEO Baeza and OIRSA’s Country Representative, Fermin Blanco. The ministry says preparations for the March 2026 CIRSA meeting will intensify in the coming months as Belize continues to strengthen agricultural health, food security, and cross-border cooperation.