Belize Leads Regional Pact to Protect Displaced People

Seven countries from the Comprehensive Regional Protection and Solutions Framework (MIRPS) – Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Panama – have signed the Belize City Declaration. This reinforces their commitment to protect and support displaced people in the region.

The Declaration, adopted at the VII Annual MIRPS Meeting, calls for stronger partnerships and better coordination of regional responses to displacement. It calls for improving asylum systems, boosting access to education and healthcare, and creating job opportunities for displaced people.

Ministers and high-level representatives from member countries, donors, civil society, and private sector partners attended the meeting. They reviewed progress on more than 150 commitments made by member states and stressed the need for more funding to assist the 2.4 million displaced people in and from Central America and Mexico.

Belize, which held the MIRPS Pro-tempore Presidency in 2024, played a key role in advancing regional goals. Prime Minister John Briceño called on participants to continue supporting displaced communities, stating, “Together, we are turning challenges into opportunities and delivering tangible results for the most vulnerable.”

Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, praised MIRPS as a model for regional cooperation. “This is a great example of how the Global Compact on Refugees can be effectively implemented, providing both immediate assistance and long-term solutions,” Grandi said.

During the meeting, the United States concluded its term as President of the MIRPS Support Platform, handing over leadership to Colombia for 2025. Belize also transferred its role as MIRPS Pro-tempore President to Costa Rica, signaling the continued commitment of the region’s countries to protect displaced people and support durable solutions.