Belize Assumes Chairmanship of CDB Board of Governors

At the closing ceremony of the 56th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) in Nassau, Bahamas, Belize officially assumed the Chairmanship of the Bank’s Board of Governors. It is the first time Belize has held the position since May 1994, more than three decades ago.

Minister of State in the Ministry of Economic Transformation Dr Osmond Martinez accepted the Chairmanship on behalf of Prime Minister John Briceño, while pledging Belize’s commitment to pushing sustainable development and economic transformation across the region during its year at the helm.

Along with the Chairmanship comes the responsibility of hosting the 57th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors, scheduled for June 2027 in Belize.

Prime Minister John Briceño, in recorded remarks delivered at the ceremony, called it a distinct honour. “Our strength has never rested on the size of our individual states. It is our collective action, our shared purpose, and a firm belief in a better future for the Caribbean,” he said.

CDB‘s Annual Meeting is the institution’s highest decision-making forum, bringing together ministers of finance, development partners, private sector leaders, and international institutions from its 28 member countries.

As Chair, Belize will help drive the bank’s strategic direction over the next twelve months, with a focus on regional integration, climate finance, and building stronger economic frameworks across the Caribbean.

The Belizean delegation in the Bahamas included Carlos Pol, CEO of the Ministry of Economic Transformation; Henry Anderson, CEO of the Development Finance Corporation; Michael Rudon Jr, Director of the Government of Belize Press Office; and economist Jerdie King.