San Pedro, Sept 3–5 — Belize’s flagship investment summit brought together a full house of investors, policymakers, and founders under the theme “Bridging Markets, Building Resilience: The Nexus of CARICOM, Central America, and Mexico in the New Global Era.” The program at Sunset Caribe drew about 400+ attendees I’d say, and spotlighted a curated set of “bankable” projects across tourism, agro-processing, renewable energy, digital/fintech, infrastructure, logistics, aviation, and the blue economy. I attended as part of the Millennium Challenge Account – Belize Team, and it was a full stacked of events each day.
What stood out on stage
Adam Stewart (Sandals) delivered one of the most engaging keynote+panel appearances. What resonated wasn’t just the Sandals story—how a family vision scaled across the region—but his practical playbook: if Belize is a paradise for tourism (it is), then clarity of marketing and a sharp value proposition are non-negotiables. He also struck a thoughtful note: welcome investment, but be deliberate about what we allow so growth strengthens Belize’s identity rather than diluting it. It was equal parts inspiration and discipline—fuel for anyone building in hospitality or adjacent sectors.
Digital transformation: notes from CEO Urbina (E-Governance)
I connected deeply with CEO Jose Urbina’s presentation on Belize’s digital future as it is in the areas of my profession. The through-lines I took away:
- National Digital ID (NDID) as a backbone for secure, convenient access to services (an area I could possibly explore for my PhD thesis). It’s a live debate—many for, many against—but the potential for inclusion, service speed, and fraud reduction is significant if designed with privacy-by-default and strong governance.
- Interoperability first: link registries and core systems so permits, licenses, and benefits can move at the speed of software, not paper.
- Trust stack: data protection, cyber governance, identity assurance levels, and auditability as preconditions for scale.
- Talent + delivery: public-private teams, cloud-ready infrastructure, and iterative rollouts that actually reach citizens and businesses.
The blue economy keeps gaining investable shape
The Ministry of Blue Economy and Marine Conservation used the summit to make a clear, investable case: conservation finance (e.g., debt-for-nature swaps, blue bonds) is unlocking capital while safeguarding Belize’s marine heritage and growing livelihoods—especially across fisheries, aquaculture, and biotechnology. Their “Aqua Futures” panel emphasized climate resilience, inclusive growth, and the enabling rules that keep investor confidence high.
From deals to people: the jobs & skills push
A headline outcome for me: the US$8M IDB program signed during the summit to expand labor-force participation and employability. Beyond modernizing public employment services with digital job-matching platforms and labor-market info, it sets tangible targets: benefit 20,000+ job seekers, train ~2,360 in priority sectors (tourism, BPO, ICT), and lift both active jobseekers and posted vacancies meaningfully. Importantly, it includes stipends, childcare-worker training (supporting women’s participation), a pilot on advanced digital skills for near-shore ICT work, and co-financing from Taiwan’s ICDF.
Dealmaking signals (and some big numbers)
Organizers highlighted hundreds of 1:1 investor meetings, an on-site MOU for Belize’s first sugar refinery, and a master plan presentation for the Port of Belize Cruise & Cargo Project. Early estimates peg potential commitments above BZ$1.5B across sectors—if conversion stays healthy, the jobs impact should be real.
The real texture: networking, scale, and a note to founders
Beyond the program, the in-person networking was valuable. I finally met a few people I’d only interacted with online—always a reminder that in Belize, relationships travel faster than emails. The venue and hospitality were excellent, and the opening chit-and-chat over local cuisine was a perfect ice-breaker.
My honest thought, though: this summit is best suited to larger capital and PPP-scale opportunities. Plenty of folks pitched during breaks, but if you’re a smaller operator looking for seed-to-Series A cheques, this isn’t (yet) your ideal funnel. As it stands, BIS shines for institutional investors, strategic corporates, and government-aligned projects. For SMEs, it’s still great for visibility, partners, and policy intel—but don’t mistake it for an early-stage venture fair.
Why this matters for Belize
Pull the threads together—bankable projects, blue-economy finance, and workforce modernization—and you get a coherent growth thesis: tie capital to capability. Execute on even a portion of the pipeline and Belize can widen opportunity in tourism, logistics, and ICT, while the digital-government agenda improves service delivery and investor experience.
What’s next
The secretariat has already teed up planning for BIS 2027. Between now and then, what I’ll be watching: concrete execution milestones on the signature projects, the cadence of policy/permit reforms that reduce friction, and measurable progress on digital public infrastructure (ID, payments, registries, security).
Overall 5/5!