By Belize Live News Staff: Belize and Guatemala have once again pledged to settle their differences through peaceful means, signing a joint declaration that looks ahead to the day the International Court of Justice delivers its long-awaited ruling.
The statement was issued on June 24, 2026, in Panama City, during the OAS General Assembly. Representing Belize was the Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade, Culture, Science and Technology, while Guatemala was represented by its Minister of Foreign Affairs.
At the heart of the declaration is the matter that has shaped relations between the two countries for generations, Guatemala’s territorial, insular, and maritime claim. After years of negotiation, both nations agreed to take the dispute to the ICJ for a final and binding decision, a path formalised in the 2008 Special Agreement. In their latest statement, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to accept the Court’s judgment as final and binding, and to carry it out fully and in good faith.
Importantly, the governments restated their shared respect for the core principles of international relations, sovereignty, territorial integrity, political independence, non-intervention, and the peaceful settlement of disputes, while ruling out the threat or use of force.
The declaration paid tribute to the role of the OAS, whose Office in the Adjacency Zone has worked with communities and institutions on both sides of the border to keep the peace and build trust over the past two decades. The two countries also recognised the steady support of international partners, including the European Union and the wider Group of Friends of Belize and Guatemala.
With the ICJ ruling still pending, both governments urged the OAS to keep playing a facilitating and accompanying role, from maintaining its presence in the Adjacency Zone, to helping verify incidents, to building the technical capacity needed once the judgment is handed down, including in areas like demarcating the border.
For Belize, the declaration is a reminder that, whatever the Court ultimately decides, the country remains committed to a peaceful and lawful resolution, working hand in hand with Guatemala and its international partners every step of the way.
