Belize And The Uk: A Historical Overview

Belize, formerly known as British Honduras, is a country on the northeastern coast of Central America. It is bordered by Mexico to the north, Guatemala to the west and south, and the Caribbean Sea to the east. Belize was a British colony from 1862 until it gained independence in 1981 and is now a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, with King Charles III as its monarch and head of state. While Belize is considered part of Central America, its culture and history are similar to those of English-speaking Caribbean nations.

Belize's independence from the UK

In 1954, Belize achieved universal adult suffrage, and in 1964, the country gained a new constitution and internal self-government, with George Price becoming premier. However, Guatemalan hostility towards Belize's independence posed a significant obstacle.

In the 1970s, Belize took its case for self-determination to the international community, appealing to the United Nations (UN) and joining the Non-Aligned Movement. Despite ongoing disputes with Guatemala, Belize became an independent state on September 21, 1981, with a British defence guarantee. Belize was admitted to the UN, and the British military presence was gradually withdrawn, with border security becoming the responsibility of the Belize Defence Force.

The process of gaining international recognition for Belize's independence was challenging. While Belize received support from the Caribbean Community and the British Commonwealth of Nations, it faced opposition from Latin American countries and continued to grapple with Guatemala's claim on its territory.

In the years leading up to independence, Belize's government, led by Premier George Price of the Peoples United Party (PUP), waged an intensive diplomatic campaign known as "the internationalisation effort". This effort was spearheaded by young Belize attorneys Said Musa and Assad Shoman, who would later become prominent figures in Belize's political landscape.

Belize's independence was also marked by internal struggles and divisions. The National Independence Party, the Honduras Independence Party, the Liberal Party, and other spin-offs coalesced into the opposition UDP, which resisted the call for independence. The UDP, ironically, would later become the governing party of Belize, a position it could not have achieved without independence.

The road to independence was not without challenges, but Belize's perseverance and international support ultimately led to the realisation of its independence on September 21, 1981, a significant milestone in the country's history.

Belize's relationship with Guatemala

Belize and Guatemala have had a long-standing dispute over the territory of Belize. Guatemala has claimed sovereignty over Belize since the 1940s, and has made several threats to invade. The roots of Guatemala's claim on Belize go back to the 17th century, when British settlers and their slaves came to the coasts of Central America to cut logwood. The Spanish Crown considered these intruders to be pirates, and Britain did nothing to protect them until 1763, when Spain, as part of the Treaty of Paris, gave the settlers the right to cut logwood within a small area that remained subject to Spanish sovereignty. In 1821, Central America gained independence from Spain, and in 1823, from Mexico. In 1838, Central America splintered into five separate republics, one of which was Guatemala.

In 1859, Britain and Guatemala signed a treaty setting boundaries for what soon became British Honduras. However, Guatemala claimed that this treaty included a provision for Britain to assist in the construction of a road from Guatemala City to the Caribbean coast, and that this provision was a condition for ceding the territory to Britain. Guatemala nullified the cession of territory when the road was not built, but Britain rejected this interpretation of the treaty, arguing that Guatemala had never possessed sovereignty over British Honduras. In 1945, Guatemala began including British Honduras as part of its national territory in its constitutions.

In the 1960s and 1970s, Guatemala threatened to invade if British Honduras became independent without a resolution of its claim. In response, Britain maintained a military presence in British Honduras to forestall any invasion. In 1970, Britain opposed any post-independence security guarantees to Belize and apparently favoured ceding a small strip of territory in southern Belize. Territorial concessions were highly unpopular among Belizeans.

In 1981, Belize achieved independence from the United Kingdom. Guatemala refused to recognise the new nation because of its longstanding territorial dispute, and about 1,500 British troops remained in Belize to deter any possible Guatemalan incursions. In 1991, Guatemala finally recognised Belize as an independent state, and the British defence guarantee soon ended. However, Guatemala made clear that while it recognised Belize's independence, it did not accept its boundaries.

In 2008, Belize and Guatemala reached a Special Agreement under which they undertook to resolve the dispute via the International Court of Justice (ICJ). In 2018, Guatemala held a referendum on the matter, with 95% voting in favour of taking the claim to the ICJ. A similar referendum was held in Belize in 2019, with 55.4% of voters opting to send the matter to the ICJ. Both countries submitted requests to the ICJ, and the next step will be oral arguments from each country's legal teams.

Belize's relationship with the US

Belize is a country on the northeastern coast of Central America. It is not part of the UK. In fact, Belize gained independence from the UK in 1981, at which point it established diplomatic relations with the US.

The US and Belize have a close relationship, with the US being Belize's leading trading partner and principal source of foreign investment and economic assistance. The US is committed to strengthening Belize's border security and addressing transnational crime and narcotics trafficking. Belize is part of the Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI), which permits duty-free access to US markets for most Caribbean Basin countries.

The US has also provided military assistance to Belize, including training and humanitarian and medical assistance programs. The US played a role in establishing Belize's Coast Guard and continues to support its development.

In addition to economic and security cooperation, the US and Belize collaborate on governance, democracy, human rights, migration management, and climate change. The US has provided emergency humanitarian aid to Belize, such as after Hurricane Lisa in 2022.

Belize and the US are both members of several international organizations, including the United Nations, the Organization of American States, the World Trade Organization, and the International Monetary Fund.

The US has an embassy in Belize's capital, Belmopan, and Belize maintains an embassy in Washington, DC.

Belize's relationship with the EU

Belize is a member of CARIFORUM, the Caribbean forum, and was governed by the CARIFORUM–European Union Economic Partnership Agreement until the UK's withdrawal from the EU. Following this, Belize and the UK signed a continuity trade agreement based on the EU agreement, which has governed Belize–UK trade since 1 January 2021.

Belize is also a member of the Central American Integration System (SICA), which connects Central America and the Caribbean. Belize's long-term development is guided by Horizon 2030, which prioritises democratic governance for effective public administration and sustainable development, education, economic resilience, and a healthy citizenry and environment.

The EU and Belize align on several policy objectives, including green growth and sustainable socio-economic development, and the economic integration of Belize into the Northern Triangle with Guatemala. The EU's Multiannual Indicative Programme for Belize for 2021-2024 amounts to €17 million. The priority areas of this programme are 'Green growth and sustainable socio-economic development' and 'Regional integration and border management'.

The EU aims to unlock the economic potential of Belize's southern districts by providing technical assistance and financial resources for public and private investment. These districts are home to the Mayan and Garifuna indigenous people, who suffer from high poverty rates, lack of basic services, and climate change effects. The EU also provides technical and financial assistance to the various mandates of the Joint Commission, promoting cross-border trade and efficient border management, and contributing to migration control.

Belize's relationship with the UN

Belize is a member of the United Nations (UN) and works closely with the organisation to achieve various sustainable development goals. Belize and the UN have signed the 2024-2025 Country Implementation Plan under its Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework. The UN is also working with the Belize government to improve the country's statistical capacity, with a $3.4 million arrangement between the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).

The UN is committed to supporting Belize in its efforts to eliminate all forms of violence, especially against women and girls. The organisation also works with Belize to strengthen border security, address transnational crime, and manage the flow of irregular migrants. The UN has also provided emergency humanitarian aid to Belizean communities affected by natural disasters such as Hurricane Lisa.

In addition, the UN works with Belize to fight narcotics, human trafficking, and other types of illicit trafficking. The organisation provides military assistance to the Belize Defence Force, including training, humanitarian and medical assistance programs, and school construction and renovation. The UN also played a role in establishing Belize's Coast Guard and continues to support its capacity-building.

Overall, Belize's relationship with the UN is focused on achieving sustainable development, strengthening security, and addressing social issues such as gender-based violence and human trafficking. The UN provides support, resources, and expertise to Belize in these endeavours.

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