Belize Signs Biometric Data Sharing Deal with U.S.

Belize and the United States have signed a memorandum of cooperation to enhance border security and public safety through the exchange of information.

The agreement was signed in Washington by Belize’s Foreign Minister, Francis Fonseca, and U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem.

The U.S. Embassy in Belize said on social media, “The memo lays groundwork for a Biometric Data Sharing Partnership to help Belize develop new border management tools to combat illegal immigration and transnational criminal organisations.”

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade confirmed the signing on X, noting that the agreement focuses on strengthening information sharing between the two countries.

The partnership comes as Belize prepares to roll out a national ID system that will use biometric technology. Jose Urbina, CEO in the Ministry of E-Governance, told News 5 it will not immediately replace existing IDs such as social security cards, driver’s licences, or voter IDs, but the long-term aim is to streamline identification and security. The aim is for the national ID to eventually replace all IDs. 

Urbina reassured that the system will be built with strong safeguards. “It’s not something that’s being prepared loosely,” he said. “We are ensuring that all the security layers are in place to protect the transmission of the information and also to safeguard the database.”