In his own
words

Theme 01

Climate, and the arithmetic of blame

Belize is a member of the Alliance of Small Island States. Fonseca's argument at the General Assembly was not moral in the first instance but numerical — and the moral claim followed from the numbers.

Currently, the G20 accounts for some 80 percent of global emissions. AOSIS Members contribute less than one percent of global emissions. This is a tale of two worlds; but we only have one planet to share.

No matter the physical changes that climate change may bring to our territory, our sovereignty and our right to self-determination remain intact.

Theme 02

Education as economic policy

The clearest through-line in his public statements is a refusal to treat education as a social service standing on its own. It is argued, consistently, as an economic instrument.

We recognize that if we are going to grow and develop Belize, then we have to invest in the education of our people.

Education has to be tied to national economic development, it can't exist in a vacuum.

Teachers are the frontline of education so it's very important for us to provide training opportunities.

We have launched a new national curriculum framework that focuses on competency-based learning and project-based learning.

Theme 03

Access is not the same as completion

At the launch of the Belize Education Sector Plan 2.0 in April 2026 he set the standard the ministry should be judged against — and made the point that spending is not itself an outcome.

The Belizean people have always attached great importance to education. Year after year, they demand that their government invest in education. So we have a proud history in this country of investing in education.

What impact is this investment having on our education system, on the development of our country?

We want to make sure that when our students enter the education system, they don't only access it, but they complete it successfully.

Every child in this country, every student in this country, wherever they live, Belize City or in the most remote rural communities of our country, should have equal access to quality education.

Theme 04

The territorial question, settled peacefully

Guatemala's territorial, insular and maritime claim is the defining item on Belize's diplomatic file. Fonseca's public position has been consistent: the Court, not the border.

Belize is committed to the final settlement of Guatemala's territorial insular and maritime claim. We welcome Guatemala's stated commitment to respecting and abiding by the ruling of the International Court of Justice.

A definitive solution will bring greater opportunities for both of our nations in the areas of trade, investment, and cooperation.

Theme 05

Conflict, impunity and the duty of members

The General Assembly statement's sharpest passages concern the obligations that membership of the United Nations imposes on the states that hold it.

The perpetual suffering of a people can never just be a matter of national concern.

Conflicts should not be allowed to fester.

Impunity breeds inhumanity.

Belize reaffirms its commitment to the United Nations as the central platform for coordinated global action. But its decision-making processes need to be more inclusive, more responsive, and representative. Its institutions cannot be held back by the world as it was eighty years ago.

Provenance

Where these words come from

Quotations on this page are drawn from the following. Where a statement could not be verified against a primary or reported source, it does not appear.

• Statement of Belize, 79th Session of the United Nations General AssemblyDelivered by Francis Fonseca, New York, 28 September 2024, and published in the General Assembly's general debate record.
• Published interview on the education sectorAugust 2023, on the Belize Education Sector Plan 2021–2025, the national curriculum framework and teacher training.
• Launch of the Belize Education Sector Plan 2.0Reported April 2026, covering the 2026–2030 plan and the fiscal year's education allocation.
• Statement on taking the foreign affairs portfolioJanuary 2024, on assuming responsibility for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade.
• Reported remarks on the Safe Third Country agreementOctober 2025, on the agreement's scope and practical scale.