Julie Chappell

Where's the second largest barrier reef in the world?

Well I never knew until this week.. Belize. I travelled there yesterday (with a beady eye still on developments in Honduras!) to meet my British counterpart there, Pat Ashworth. Our aim was to support the ongoing process between Belize (ex British Honduras) and Guatemala to end their territorial dispute. We met key members of Government and visited the team of the Organisation of American States (OAS), which sits next to the border post between Belize and Guatemala. This team helps to solve local disputes and keep good relations. The military on both sides also help - for example, carrying out joint patrols. In the past, we have given these forces language training to help them communicate and build trust. (I agree with recent blog comments about the importance of languages.) Other recent positives between Belize and Guatemala include the start this month of a direct flight and improving road links.

Visiting the OAS office

Whilst in Belize, we also had an inspiring meeting with the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCandafewmoreCs). They bring together data from the region and help to co-ordinate the Caribbean approach to climate change. Increasingly, they are also acting as an interface with the Central American region. We strongly welcomed this - a united voice across the whole of this vulnerable area could help to encourage an ambitious approach when it comes to the climate negotiations in Copenhagen at the end of this year.

A final stop on the way home was a pitch in the middle of nowhere...or so I thought. It's actually a pitch in the middle of Belize and Guatemala! One goal in Belize...one goal in Guatemala. Kids running across the half way line and horses happily munching the grass on both sides. An inspiring note on which to end.

Posted at 23:33 15 July 2009 by Julie Chappell  |  Comments[1]