Transforming Local Economic Opportunities: The European Union-funded ILO PROSPER Project Officially Launched in Southern Belize

The four-year, European Union-funded initiative is set to empower communities in the Toledo and Stann Creek districts in southern Belize, by building local entrepreneurship, supporting skills training, and strengthening value chains to create more sustainable livelihoods and inclusive economic growth. The total project budget is BZD 8.9 million.

Investing in Resilience and Opportunity

In her welcome remarks, Noortje Denkers, Deputy Director of the ILO Decent Work Country Team, underscored that “The PROSPER Project is not simply another development programme. It is very closely aligned with Belize’s current Decent Work Country Programme (DWCP) to 2029, which was developed and endorsed in 2024, through a process of rigorous consultation with the government, employers, and workers’ organizations.” She highlighted that, in addition to coordination of implementation, the ILO’s technical support will focus on employment creation, entrepreneurship, and capacity building that advances decent work and social inclusion in rural communities.

European Union: Inclusive Growth Through Partnership

European Union, Xavier Canton-Lamousse/2025

Xavier Canton-Lamousse, Head of Office of the European Union Delegation to Belize, reminded participants the EU’s continued partnership with Belize in promoting inclusive, people, centred development, saying “Through this programme we are not merely providing funding, we are sowing the seeds of opportunities.” He also rallied the local officials and stakeholders gathered, as he stressed that, “sustainable development cannot be achieved in isolation. We are calling on all stakeholders to come together in a spirit of partnership to share knowledge and resources and to engage in dialogue that promotes innovation and growth.”

Linking Economic Transformation and Local Empowerment

The Representative of the Ministry of Economic Transformation Leroy Martinez also voiced the Ministry’s support and commitment to collaboration even as he acknowledged government’s leadership in advancing decent work and sustainable development outcomes. This was further reinforced by the Hon. Florencio Marin Jr., Minister of Rural Transformation, Community Development, Labour and Local Government who spoke to the close synergies between the PROSPER project and national development goals. He noted that, “the objectives of PROSPER align closely with our national priorities under Plan Belize and our Decent Work Country Programme, both of which emphasize inclusive development and sustainable livelihoods.” He also issued a direct call to the stakeholders gathered saying, “ this project belongs to you. It is your participation, creativity and leadership that will determine its success.”

Participation and Progress in Building Prosperity

The launch culminated with official remarks by Valentino Shal Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Rural Transformation. He acknowledged that the statistics speak to challenging situations of- multidimensional poverty, youth unemployment and educational attainment in the South of Belize. However, he welcomed the bottom-up approach ingrained in the project’s design, saying, “ We cannot talk about local economic development without empowering the communities to drive their own transformations.” As he formally declared the project launched, he encouraged the gathering saying, “ today is not about dwelling on these challenges. It is about declaring that we are doing something about them, it is about action, it is about hope!”
 

About PROSPER Belize

The European Union-funded ILO PROSPER Initiative is part of the ILO’s global commitment to advancing Decent Work and Just Transitions through inclusive, sustainable local economic development. Implemented in partnership with the EU and the Government of Belize, the initiative will:

• Strengthen institutional and community capacities for sustainable livelihoods.
• Promote entrepreneurship, especially among youth, women, and indigenous
  groups.
• Support job creation aligned with decent work principles.

• Foster social dialogue and partnerships across public, private, and community
  actors.

  For Media Inquiries: Resel Melville- Communication and Information Management officer
  ILO Decent Work Team and Office for the Caribbean
  Email: melville@ilo.org | Tel: +868 623 7704 Ext. 412
  Website: www.ilo.org/caribbean

  
  Elizabeth Lanzi Mazzocchini – Communication Coordinator
  Delegation of the European Union to Jamaica, Belize and The Bahamas
  Elizabeth-Mary.LANZI-MAZZOCCHINI@eeas.europa.eu Tel. +501 6149186