PM Briceño on ICJ: “Confident All Doubts Will Be Removed!”  

In February 2027, Belize’s borders and territorial waters will take center stage before the world’s highest court, not once, but twice. The International Court of Justice has scheduled oral hearings in Belize’s decades-old territorial dispute with Guatemala earlier than local officials expected. Just days later, Belize will return to the courtroom for a separate case involving Honduras and sovereignty over the Sapodilla Cayes. It will be two neighbors, two legal battles and two crucial weeks for Belize’s territorial and maritime future. Government sees the hearing dates as a sign that both cases are moving closer to a conclusion. But across the country, the announcement is also stirring anticipation and concern over what the judges may ultimately decide. Tonight, Prime Minister John Briceño addresses the nation on Belize’s preparations, what happens next and what these historic proceedings could mean for every Belizean.

 

Prime Minister John Briceño

“Fellow Belizeans, today on the seventeenth September 2026, the registrar of the International Court of Justice informed us that the court will receive oral presentations in the case between Guatemala and Belize from the 22^nd to the 26^th February 2027. The court will then hear oral presentations in the Belize, Honduras case from the first to the fifth March 2027. These hearings will take place at The Hague. For too long our borders have been disputed by our neighbors. In keeping with our commitment to the peaceful settlement of disputes and respect for the rule of law, we have had recourse to the court. We are confident that all doubts will be removed by these two court cases. Belize will be vindicated. Belize has engaged a stellar team of international lawyers and experts to advise us and to present our case before the court. This team has worked diligently with Ambassadors Assad Shoman and Alexis Rosado, our co-agents before the ICJ, and with Senator Eamon Courtney and Michael Peyrefitte to settle our written pleadings. Their work will now focus exclusively on the oral presentations to be delivered next year. I am confident that Team Belize will be fully prepared to present the strongest case as we seek legal confirmation that from the moment of our independence, we have been and remain sovereign over all our territory, land, islands, and sea. As we embark on the final phase of this long journey, we call on friendly countries to continue to support this process. We expect that our neighbors will proceed in peace and mutual respect and in keeping with the Charter of the United Nations. Above all, I renew Belize’s commitment to accept the decisions of the court and to work with Guatemala and Honduras to implement the court’s decisions. My fellow Belizeans, independence and our sovereignty and territorial integrity are supremely national issues. Together with the opposition and all stakeholders, let us look confidently to the future. We will spare no resource. We will scale up our efforts. It’s Team Belize, one people, one nation with all our territory intact. May God continue to bless Belize.”

 

Attention readers: This online newscast is a direct transcript of our evening television broadcast. When speakers use Kriol, we have carefully rendered their words using a standard spelling system.

 

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