Belize's Oas: What Does It Stand For?

OAS stands for the Organization of American States. The organization has a country office in Belize, established in August 1995, which aims to showcase the programs and activities that contribute to the country's national development. The OAS in Belize works to strengthen democratic institutions through the amplification of communication channels to inform and educate Belizeans on issues of national and regional importance. The OAS Secretary-General publishes an annual Program-Budget for the coming calendar year, which is approved by the OAS General Assembly in a Special Session.

The role of the OAS in the Belize-Guatemala territorial dispute

The Belize-Guatemala territorial dispute is an unresolved dispute between the two Central American countries that has its roots in the colonial era. The dispute centres around competing territorial claims, with Guatemala claiming sovereignty over some or all of Belize at various points in history. The dispute has led to military tensions and, in recent times, violent incidents.

The Organization of American States (OAS) has played an active role in mediating the dispute since 2000, providing political and technical support to both countries through its Peace Fund. The OAS-led mediation process has resulted in several agreements and confidence-building measures aimed at preventing incidents and confrontations between the two countries.

One of the key agreements facilitated by the OAS is the establishment of an "Adjacency Zone" and a "Line of Adjacency" between the two countries. This zone, which extends one kilometre on either side of the 1859 treaty line, serves as a buffer area to reduce tensions and prevent incidents. The OAS maintains an office in this Adjacency Zone, with the objective of fostering community-to-community contacts and verifying any transgressions of the signed agreements. The OAS office has been successful in maintaining peace in the zone, and there have been no confrontations between the military forces of the two countries since its establishment.

The OAS has also facilitated agreements on a framework for negotiations and confidence-building measures, including the 2005 Agreement on a Framework for Negotiations and Confidence-Building Measures and the 2008 Special Agreement to submit Guatemala's territorial claims to the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The 2008 agreement, in particular, was a significant development as it committed both countries to resolve the dispute through a legal process.

In addition to its mediation role, the OAS has also conducted independent investigations into incidents arising from the territorial dispute. For example, in April 2016, the OAS conducted an investigation into the death of a Guatemalan minor allegedly shot by Belizean forces.

While the OAS-led mediation process has resulted in several agreements and reduced tensions, the underlying territorial dispute between Belize and Guatemala remains unresolved. Both countries continue to work towards a resolution, with referendums held in both countries in 2018 and 2019 approving the referral of the dispute to the ICJ.

The Adjacency Zone between Belize and Guatemala

The Organization of American States (OAS) is a political forum that promotes democracy, human rights, security, and development in the Americas. In the context of Belize, OAS has played a significant role in addressing the Belizean–Guatemalan territorial dispute.

Belize and Guatemala have had a longstanding territorial dispute dating back to the early colonial era when Britain and Spain signed treaties regarding territories in the Americas. The dispute was reignited in 1999 when Guatemala asserted a new line of reasoning for its claim, arguing that it had inherited historical Spanish claims on Belize.

To prevent tensions from escalating, Belize and Guatemala, under the auspices of the OAS, agreed to establish an "Adjacency Zone" as part of the Agreement on Confidence-Building Measures. This zone extends one kilometer east and west from their shared border, denoted as the "Adjacency Line." The OAS opened an office in this zone to oversee the implementation of the confidence-building measures and maintain peace between the two countries.

The main duties of the OAS Office in the Adjacency Zone include:

• Investigating, verifying, and reporting on any transgression of the Confidence-Building Measures.
• Fostering community-to-community contacts across the Adjacency Line.
• Monitoring the implementation and execution of the Confidence-Building Measures.
• Developing and executing activities to improve relations, confidence, and cooperation among the inhabitants of the Adjacency Zone.
• Providing information on the territorial dispute and the Confidence-Building Measures to the residents of the Adjacency Zone and surrounding areas.
• Executing other Confidence-Building Measures or projects as requested.

The OAS Office conducts regular verifications and investigations into incidents within the Adjacency Zone, often in challenging jungle and rural areas. They also promote increased communication and coordination between officials, authorities, and communities of both Belize and Guatemala. Additionally, the Office supports cross-border relationships and provides humanitarian assistance to communities directly affected by the territorial dispute.

The presence of the OAS Office in the Adjacency Zone has been crucial for mediation and easing tensions between Belize and Guatemala. It serves as a trustworthy body to investigate incidents and facilitate coordination between the armed forces, police, and government agencies of both countries.

Community-to-community contacts across the Adjacency Line

The Organization of American States (OAS) is the main political forum in the Americas that promotes and supports democracy, human rights, multidimensional security, and integral development in the region.

In March 2000, the governments of Belize and Guatemala restarted talks on their longstanding territorial dispute under the auspices of the Secretary-General of the OAS. This led to the signing of the first Agreement on Confidence-Building Measures on November 8, 2000, which established an "Adjacency Zone" extending one kilometer east and west from the border, known as the "Adjacency Line."

A second agreement was signed in February 2003, which included the establishment of the OAS Office in the Adjacency Zone. The office has several duties and responsibilities, with a key focus on fostering community-to-community contacts across the Adjacency Line. Here are some details on how the OAS Office promotes and facilitates these community connections:

• Facilitating Cross-Border Interactions: The OAS Office plays a crucial role in promoting increased communication, coordination, and rapprochement between officials, entities, and communities of both Belize and Guatemala. It organizes tri-monthly Operational Coordination Meetings between the Belize Defense Forces (BDF) and the Guatemalan Army (GA) to facilitate the exchange of security information, address specific incidents, and coordinate joint patrols.
• Community Engagement and Capacity Building: The OAS Office engages with various actors within the Adjacency Zone, including mayors, municipal authorities, police, customs officials, and natural disaster response organizations. It organizes training workshops to enhance their capacity to manage cross-border issues and strengthen confidence-building measures.
• Promoting a Culture of Peace: The office annually conducts a Culture of Peace Project, bringing together students and children from both countries under one roof. Through music and art workshops, participants not only develop artistic skills but also foster sentiments of friendship, peace, and tolerance.
• Humanitarian Assistance: The OAS Office provides humanitarian assistance to individuals, communities, and institutions within the Adjacency Zone. This support includes fuel for transportation, food, travel tickets, school supplies, toys, and overnight shelter. It particularly assists schools, firefighters, hospitals, and needy families affected by incidents or the implementation of confidence-building measures.
• Information Provision: The office provides information to residents of the Adjacency Zone and surrounding areas about the territorial dispute and the confidence-building measures in place. This ensures that communities are well-informed and understand the efforts to maintain peace and stability in the region.
• Early Warning and Conflict Prevention: The OAS Office conducts regular verifications and investigations into any potential transgressions of the Confidence-Building Measures. By detecting anomalies or conflicts in their early stages, the office can help prevent escalations that could damage relations between communities and the two countries. These verifications are crucial, especially in areas close to the Adjacency Line, where the Pan American Institute of Geography and History (PAIGH) provides specialized support and equipment for accurate data collection.
• Resettlement Projects: The office has facilitated and supported community resettlement projects, such as the Nueva Judá and Santa Rosa Community Resettlements. These projects involved relocating communities, constructing new housing and infrastructure, and providing agricultural support to ensure sustainable livelihoods for the residents in their new settlements.

Confidence-building measures and agreements

The Organization of American States (OAS) is the main political forum of the hemisphere which promotes and supports Democracy, Human Rights, Multidimensional Security, and Integral Development in the Americas.

Belize and Guatemala have had a long-standing territorial dispute, which they restarted talks on in March 2000 under the OAS Secretary General's auspices. The two countries signed the first Agreement on Confidence-Building Measures on November 8, 2000, agreeing to respect an "Adjacency Zone" extending one kilometer east and west from the border, called the "Adjacency Line."

The second Agreement to Establish a Transition Process and Confidence-Building Measures was signed on February 7, 2003, and later amended in September 2005. This agreement established the OAS Office in the Adjacency Zone to foster community-to-community contacts across the Adjacency Line and verify any transgression of the established confidence-building measures and incidents in the Zone. The Office's most important duties include investigating, verifying, and reporting on any transgressions of the Confidence-Building Measures, organizing and fostering community-to-community contacts, and monitoring the implementation and execution of the Confidence-Building Measures.

The OAS/AZ Office also promotes increased communication, coordination, and rapprochement between officials of Belize and Guatemala, diverse government entities, and communities within the Adjacency Zone. It coordinates, organizes, and hosts tri-monthly Operational Coordination Meetings between the Belize Defense Forces (BDF) and the Guatemalan Army (GA) to exchange information about security, examine specific incidents, and schedule link patrols.

The Office also advances a Culture of Peace Project annually, bringing students and children from within the AZ together for music and art workshops that foster sentiments of friendship, brotherhood, peace, and tolerance. Additionally, it coordinates regular meetings and organizes training workshops for other relevant actors in the Adjacency Zone, such as mayors, municipal authorities, police officers, customs and border management officials, natural disaster response bodies, and institutions responsible for forest reserves.

The OAS/AZ Office's presence ensures a trustworthy body to investigate any incidents in the AZ and provides a go-between for coordination and activities between the armed forces, police, and other government agencies in Belize and Guatemala.

The OAS Office in the Adjacency Zone

The Organization of American States (OAS) is a political forum that promotes democracy, human rights, security, and development in the Americas. In March 2000, the governments of Belize and Guatemala, under OAS supervision, restarted talks on their long-standing territorial dispute. This led to the signing of the first Agreement on Confidence-Building Measures on November 8, 2000, which established an "Adjacency Zone" extending one kilometer east and west from the border.

• Fostering community-to-community contacts across the Adjacency Line
• Monitoring the implementation of confidence-building measures
• Improving relations, confidence, and cooperation among the inhabitants of the Adjacency Zone
• Investigating, verifying, and reporting on any transgression of the established measures
• Providing information on the territorial dispute and confidence-building measures to residents
• Executing other confidence-building projects as requested

The office conducts approximately 22 verifications annually, often in challenging jungle and rural areas. These verifications include investigating the geographic location of events, identifying the protagonists and affected parties, determining the nature of incidents, and reporting to the respective officials of each country. The office also promotes increased communication and coordination between the officials of Belize and Guatemala, as well as various government entities and communities within the Adjacency Zone.

The OAS/AZ Office also has a mandate to promote a Culture of Peace within the Adjacency Zone. This includes organizing music and art workshops that foster sentiments of friendship, brotherhood, peace, and tolerance among students and children from both countries. Additionally, the office provides humanitarian assistance to individuals, communities, and institutions in the Adjacency Zone, such as fuel for transportation, food, travel tickets, school supplies, and overnight shelter.

The OAS/AZ Office plays a crucial role in mediating tensions between Belize and Guatemala. Its presence ensures a neutral body to investigate incidents, foster cooperation, and promote peaceful relations between the two countries.

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