OAS SecGen Visits Belize-Guatemala Adjacency Zone to Reinforce Peace Efforts

Secretary General of the Organization of American States, Albert Ramdin, has begun a three-day official visit aimed at reinforcing peace, stability and cooperation between Belize and Guatemala.  Ramdin and representatives of the Group of Friends of Belize and Guatemala will visit the Adjacency Zone from today through Wednesday. The delegation includes representatives from several countries and international partners.  During the visit, Ramdin will meet with Belize’s Foreign Minister Francis Fonseca and Guatemala’s Foreign Minister Carlos Ramiro Martínez Alvarado. The delegation will also receive briefings on recent developments and assess the implementation of confidence-building measures.  The visit is also intended to secure greater international technical and financial support for the OAS Mission, which maintains a permanent presence in the area and works to prevent tensions through verification, diplomacy and communication.  Since its establishment, the Mission has verified more than five hundred incidents, facilitated coordination between the armed forces of both countries and maintained a permanent communication channel between the two foreign ministries.  The 213-kilometre Adjacency Zone was established in 2000 to promote stability and dialogue while the territorial dispute moves toward resolution. The delegation will also visit the Ta’ Amay Peace Promotion and Training Centres and unveil a mural created jointly by Belizean and Guatemalan youths.