Photo: Luis Rodolfo Abinader Corona, president of the Dominican Republic, hands over the SICA presidency to Hon. John Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize

by Charles Gladden

BELIZE CITY, Mon. Dec. 12, 2022

On Friday, December 9, the Prime Minister of Belize, Hon. John Briceño, assumed the presidency Pro-Tempore (PPT) of the Central American Integration System (SICA) from the outgoing SICA president, Luis Rodolfo Abinader Corona, president of the Dominican Republic, at the LVI Meeting of Heads of State and Government of SICA held in Santiago de Caballeros, Dominican Republic.

Belize will be steering the regional integration process based on the five priority pillars of SICA integration, which are economic and social integration, institutional strengthening, democratic security, climate change, and sustainable development. Additionally, Belize will also be focusing on issues on its national development agenda such as climate change, food security, migration, and deeper engagement with CARICOM and SICA.

Prime Minister Briceño congratulated the Dominican Republic for its accomplishments during the term of its presidency and pledged Belize’s full commitment to advancing the implementation of SICA’s regional agenda.

Belize will hold the presidency for the first six months of 2023, and last held the position in 2018.