The General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Belize Ministry of Immigration signed the agreement that marks the starting point of the Refugee Department's Border Presence Project , a key initiative to strengthen the protection and assistance of people with international protection needs in the country.
The project will be implemented between 2025 and 2026 with funding from the Comprehensive Regional Protection and Solutions Framework Fund (MIRPS Fund) , established within the OAS and administered by its Department of Social Inclusion.
With the implementation of this project, the presence of the Refugee Department will be strengthened at key border points, allowing for the early identification and care of people with international protection needs, ensuring that those seeking asylum in Belize receive clear and accessible information about the application process, their rights and the opportunities available for their integration into society.
During the ceremony, the Representative of the OAS General Secretariat in Belize, Luiz Coimbra, said: "Today, we recognize Belize's leadership and commitment, reflected in this agreement and the prioritization of this project. This initiative not only improves protection mechanisms for refugees but also strengthens host communities, promoting a shared responsibility model that benefits both displaced persons and the local population." Coimbra also highlighted the country's commitment to the protection of refugees and the joint effort to guarantee access to their fundamental rights. Moreover, he emphasized the importance of the MIRPS Fund, which has already allowed the implementation of several projects in the region, and thanked Spain for its contribution, which has been fundamental to make these initiatives a reality.
Coimbra further emphasized: "I want to highlight the essential role of Spain, whose contribution to the MIRPS Fund has been fundamental in supporting these efforts. This financial commitment benefits all MIRPS member states and reinforces solidarity and cooperation as fundamental pillars to address forced displacement."
Since the launch of the first project financed by the MIRPS Fund at the end of 2023, more than 24,000 people in Costa Rica , El Salvador , Honduras and Panama, have benefited. Through humanitarian aid, technical specialization scholarships and seed capital for entrepreneurships, these initiatives have provided lasting solutions that guarantee the full exercise of fundamental rights and promote the integration of displaced, returned, refugee and asylum seekers in their host communities. In addition, the capacity of government institutions responsible for their protection has been strengthened, consolidating a more comprehensive and sustainable approach to addressing these populations.
The event was attended by the Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Immigration of Belize, Tanya Santos; the non-resident Ambassador of Spain to Belize, María Clara Girbau Ronda; the Representative of the OAS General Secretariat in Belize, Luiz Coimbra; the Head of the UNHCR Office in Belize, Myrat Muradov; the Director of the Refugee Department, Nikolai Zelaya; and the Regional Coordinator of the MIRPS Fund, Melissa Pocasangre Mijango.
About the MIRPS Fund:
The MIRPS Fund is the specific fund of voluntary contributions of the Comprehensive Regional Protection and Solutions Framework (MIRPS) to forced displacement in Central America and Mexico, unanimously approved by the OAS Permanent Council on May 27, 2020, fulfilling the mandate of the OAS General Secretariat by the highest political instance of the Organization during the OAS General Assembly held in 2019 in the city of Medellín, Colombia.
The MIRPS Fund is one of the mechanisms for the collection and channeling of financial resources through voluntary contributions that allow the 7 MIRPS countries (Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica and Panama) to fulfill the commitments acquired within the framework of this process, responding from an approach of shared responsibility to the challenges posed by forced displacement in this region, in order to protect and improve the living conditions of people who have been forced to move and the communities that host them.
About MIRPS:
The Comprehensive Regional Protection and Solutions Framework (MIRPS) is an innovative mechanism for the implementation of the Global Compact on Refugees to facilitate regional cooperation between countries of origin, transit and destination for greater shared responsibility in the prevention, protection and durable solutions, in the face of the increase in forced displacement in Central America and Mexico. The MIRPS Technical Secretariat is made up of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the Organization of American States (OAS), through its Department of Social Inclusion.
Reference: E-008/25
