Belize looking to enhance traditional trade, forge new partnerships at WTC Georgetown

With Guyana now being home to the first World Trade Centre (WTC) facility within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) region, regional neighbours like Belize are already positioning themselves to leverage opportunities to enhance their trade portfolio. Belize is the first tenant in the World Trade Centre Georgetown (WTCG) – a feat that the country’s High Commissioner to Guyana, Gale Miller-Garnett, proudly declared.
Delivering remarks at the commissioning ceremony of the WTCG building, located on High Street in Kingston, Georgetown on Friday evening, High Commissioner Miller-Garnett stressed that Belize is committed to its strong bilateral ties with Guyana. She added that the country intends to foster this partnership along with the newer ties that will be forged out of this global trade platform in Georgetown.

“Our presence in this World Trade Centre Georgetown will deepen cooperation with our traditional partners and will enable us to collaborate with the over 300 World Trade Centres worldwide as we build on tradition and we also look to new frontiers and adapt to change,” she stated.
With core priorities of trade resilience, energy transition and trade inclusivity, the Belizean diplomat noted her country is focused on strengthening partnerships in order to expand markets for its agricultural products, strengthening regional food security and creating a robust, resilient food system.
Located in Central America, Belize has strong cultural, historical and economic ties to the Caribbean region and is a member of CARICOM.
According to Miller-Garnett, Belize and Guyana are natural allies with a shared commitment to the continued strengthening of bilateral engagement. This, she reminded, was enforced back in July 2022 when the Belizean Prime Minister (PM) John Briceño, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with President Dr Irfaan Ali in Georgetown.
“Our collaboration under that MoU and beyond that, encompasses topics that are important to both nations. These topics include food security, trade, the transfer of technology, education, people, cultural tourism, health and climate resilience…”
“Both leaders committed to the advancement of engagement, focused on a joint willingness to engage beyond traditional agreements, and by addressing barriers to trade with the intent of being proactive, not to be rebellious,” she recalled.
The High Commissioner went onto outline that both Guyana and Belize offer strategic opportunities based on their geographical locations. For instance, Belize’s strategic location makes it an attractive partner and a hub for nations to enter both CARICOM and Central America while Guyana gives access to the Caribbean as well as South America.
The Belizean diplomat added that her country’s development policies provide for an enabling environment for investment and growth.
“Belize has commercial free zones. We have designated export processing zones, We have a robust portfolio of investment offerings; in addition to attractive benefits outlined in our partial scope agreements with Guatemala, El Salvador and upcoming Honduras. These agreements open markets in our neighbouring countries for goods, services and access to a population of approximately 36.1 million,” she stated.
Meanwhile, ahead of Friday’s opening of the WTCG building, Belize’s Minister of State for Foreign Trade, Marconi Leal Jr, along with senior officers of that Ministry had met with WTCG Executive Director, Wesley Kirton, and Chairman of Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL), Komal Samaroo. DDL is the licence holder for the WTC facility in Guyana.
Those discussions focused on advancing collaborative efforts to bolster regional, hemispheric and global trade as well as on the potential of South-South cooperation. “As Guyana’s first WTC, it aims to serve as a regional hub to boost trade in sectors such as agriculture, tourism and manufacturing. Minister Leal emphasised the potential for increased investment and trade, while the Director General highlighted the WTC’s role in expanding regional value chains, diversifying trade, and attracting investment,” a statement from the Belizean Ministry stated.
The Foreign Trade Minister had led Belize’s delegation to attend the Sixtieth Regular Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED), held at the CARICOM Secretariat in Georgetown.
Belize and Guyana established diplomatic relations in 1981. These bilateral ties were strengthened in June 2024 when Belize formally opened its High Commission in Georgetown – the country first High Commission within CARICOM.
In addition to Belize, Colombia has also taken up a spot at the WTCG.