By: Omar Silva, NP Staff Writer

Belize City: June 29, 2023

Minister of National Defence and Border Security of Belize, Hon. Florencio Marin Jr., and the Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development & Investment, Hon. Christopher Coye, visited Taiwan's International Cooperation and Development Fund (TaiwanICDF). During their visit, they were welcomed by the TaiwanICDF Deputy Secretary General, Alex L. J. Shyy.

The purpose of the visit was to discuss the TaiwanICDF's cooperation projects in Belize. Among the ongoing projects in Belize supported by the TaiwanICDF are:

Breeding Sheep and Goat Production and Guidance System Enhancement Project: This project aims to enhance the breeding and production of sheep and goats in Belize by providing guidance and support to farmers.

Flood Warning Capacity Improvement for the Belize River Basin Project: The TaiwanICDF is working on improving the flood warning capacity in the Belize River Basin to better prepare for and respond to potential flooding events.

Project for Strengthening Medical Imaging System in Belize: This project focuses on enhancing the medical imaging system in Belize, which includes improving equipment and training healthcare professionals.

Empowerment of Women in Latin America and the Caribbean through Entrepreneurship and Financial Inclusion/Belize: The TaiwanICDF is supporting initiatives to empower women in Belize by promoting entrepreneurship and financial inclusion.

Digital Inclusion Program: This program aims to promote digital inclusion in Belize by providing access to digital technologies and training opportunities.

To implement these projects, the TaiwanICDF also dispatches servicemen under the Taiwan Youth Overseas Service program.

Additionally, the TaiwanICDF is providing educational scholarship programs to support Belizean students. Currently, there are 276 Belizean participants attending professional workshops organized by the TaiwanICDF, 62 participants in the Vocational Training Program, and 404 students who have received International Higher Education Scholarships to study in Taiwan. Furthermore, 102 Belizeans are currently pursuing higher education in Taiwan with support from the TaiwanICDF.

Overall, the visit of the Belizean ministers to the TaiwanICDF aimed to strengthen cooperation and discuss the progress of ongoing projects, as well as the support provided to Belizean students through educational scholarships.