Dr. Osmond Martinez Champions Belize’s AI Ambitions
Belize is positioning itself to become a regional leader in artificial intelligence. During the Central American Bank for Economic Integration’s Board of Governors meeting in Spain on June 26, Minister of State for Economic Transformation Dr. Osmond Martinez lobbied for Belize to host a proposed regional AI hub, arguing that the country’s unique ties to both CARICOM and SICA make it the ideal location. Martinez says the government is also taking the first steps toward developing a national artificial intelligence policy as it seeks support from international partners to turn that vision into reality.
Osmond Martinez
Dr. Osmond Martinez, Minister of State, Economic Transformation
“CABEI is proposing based on based on the results of the incrementation of the capitalization for the bank, one of the main outcomes is the to create an AI hub in the region. And so one of the points that we’ll lobby very hard, Belize lobby extremely hard, is that we should have it in Belize. Why? Because Belize is the only country that have that privilege to sit in both CARICOM and SICA, and is the only country that practically manage Spanish and English. And therefore that’s one of the things we are looking at. When I was at the assembly in Oviedo, I managed to call the CEO responsible for E-governance Jose Urbina. And so the first step that we are looking at is to develop a policy framework for AI in Belize. A request have been sent to IDB to assist with that to help us to develop the AI policy. And in addition to that, IDB AI hub or the main headquarters will be in Seoul, South Korea. So we are also working with the South Koreans and also Taiwan. And why South Korea and Taiwan? Because South Korea and Taiwan, they are the largest shareholders of CABEI as well, and they are huge contributors. Especially Korea, they are huge contributors to IDB. So once we can manage to convince, both CABEI and IDB, plus we will need Taiwan’s and Korea’s support, I believe we can definitely be thinking big whereby Belize can be hosting or will be the home of the AI hub for the– not only the Caribbean region, but also the Central American region.”
Housing the regional artificial intelligence hub in Belize will create great opportunities for advancement in tech and open doors for Belizeans in the employment field of the future.
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