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Executive Director of the Friends for Conservation and Development (FCD), Rafael Manzanero, welcomed renewed commitments of support from the Government of Belize following remarks delivered by Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Francis Fonseca at the organization’s 26th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held on Saturday. During his address, Minister Fonseca spoke on Belize’s continued efforts to strengthen Belize–Guatemala cooperation, the country’s case before the International Court of Justice (ICJ), and the enduring partnership between the Government of Belize and FCD in safeguarding Belize’s natural heritage and territorial integrity. Manzanero welcomed the remarks by Minister Fonseca, which he says reinforce the support of the organization’s capacity to maintain a frontline presence in the Chiquibul and to expand conservation and monitoring operations.
Rafael Manzanero, FCD Executive Director: “I must thank Minister Fonseca to give us some of his overview from what he sees as the challenges that NGOs like us could face along the Western border. He did indicate that climate change is one of the rapid kind of the threats that we are all facing. So he noted that there could be more pressure coming from the Western front in terms of human footprint. And so he was able to identify clearly then the importance of the role of FCD being there in those areas to be able to reduce the human footprint and also to ensure that we can be able to maintain the stability of those areas like the Chiquibul and the Vaca areas. We need, and what Minister Fonseca had indicated that, we need to be aware that with the climate change, with those factors coming in, with the ICJ matter still at hand, we still have to be proactively involved along the frontline in the Chiquibul area primarily and of course there are other areas North and South from Chiquibul although our main jurisdiction in terms of protection is morning at Chiquibul National Park.”
During the AGM, Manzanero also highlighted the organization’s work carried out throughout 2025, including routine ranger patrols inside the national park, biodiversity monitoring and research programs, environmental education, community outreach initiatives, and collaboration with national security forces to counter illegal incursions, wildlife trafficking, and unsanctioned resource extraction. He also spoke on the tremendous assistance provided to the FCD by the Protected Areas Conservation Trust (PACT) and other donor agencies.
Rafael Manzanero, FCD Executive Director: “I mean, FCD has all throughout the years that we have been in the Chiquibul we all have depended largely on foundations. We know thanks to PACT, PACT has been able to support us over the years although we have to send our own proposals, of course, to present to them but largely enough PACT has been able to provide a high level of support to us. But apart from that if there are other foundations that we would reach out to seek financing to be able to do the work. We are, you know, we have been exploring more recently with the opening of the paved road to Caracol, Chiquibul, Pine Ridge. We are trying to investigate now with the government to see how we can probably hopefully be able to start a small tourism venture where we also might be able to generate a little bit of that stream of finances that can be able to contribute towards those costs are incurred annually in terms of the protection in those areas. One of the main, you know, other supporters right now is the Biodiverse Landscape Fund which is under the British program actually. That is a program that is being conducted also with Guatemalan counterparts as well as here in Belize with other organizations which includes also FCD. And we are also having some small other support systems. Those are other small foundations such as Forecastle Foundation, Snowy Owl Foundation, the Nature Trust of the Americas. So those are other institutions that are able to provide some support at this time.”
Saturday’s AGM brought together government officials, conservation stakeholders, board members, and partners to review the organization’s annual performance and to set operational priorities for the year ahead as efforts continue to strengthen enforcement capacity, expand scientific research, and enhance Belize’s protective presence along its western border. FCD is the non-profit organization tasked with the protection and management of the Chiquibul/Maya Mountains National Park and its buffer areas, a region critical to Belize’s biodiversity preservation and the defense of national sovereignty along the western border.
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