CANADA GIVES MONEY TO ADJACENCY ZONE WITH GUATEMALA, FOR BELIZE

 CANADA GIVE O.A.S. MONEY TO HELP WITH EXPENSES OF ADJACENCY BUFFER ZONE WITH GUATEMALA AND BELIZE.  ALSO A GIFT AND TRAINING OF BALLASTICS LAB TO BELIZE POLICE FORCE.  CANADA USUALLY HAS AN ALOOF ATTITUDE TO IT'S FELLOW AMERICAN CONTINENT OTHER 33 COUNTRIES.  CANADIANS THINK THEY ARE EUROPEAN, NOT AMERICANS APPARENTLY?


The following information was released by the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (Canada):

The Honourable Diane Ablonczy, Minister of State of Foreign Affairs (Americas and Consular Affairs), completed her official visit to Central America today following a series of key events that reinforced Canadian efforts to improve security and stability throughout the region. 

Today, Minister Ablonczy toured the Guatemala-Belize Adjacency Zone, the buffer region established to help reconcile the two countries long-standing territorial dispute. The Minister was accompanied by the Chief Executive Officer of Belizes Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Alexis Rosado, Guatemalas Vice-Minister of External Relations, Carlos Ral Morales, and the OAS Secretary Generals Special Representative for Belize and Guatemala, Ambassador Ral Lago.

Our government is committed to working alongside our neighbours throughout the region to improve safety and security for the people who call the Americas home, said Minister Ablonczy. Canada is pleased that Guatemala and Belize are working closely together to resolve the issue of the Adjacency Zone between their two countries. We are confident that a resolution will improve the stability and security of both nations and are pleased to be helping to achieve a peaceful result.

The work of the Organization of American States (OAS) Office in the Adjacency Zone is crucial as it contributes to reducing violence and insecurity, while improving prospects and conditions for effective conflict resolution.

Canada recently announced $1 million in additional support for the Organization of American States (OAS) Office in the Adjacency Zone to help it in its work to bring Guatemala andBelize toward a permanent solution. This adds to the $445,000 Canada has contributed to the Office since 2009.

On Friday, Minister Ablonczy was joined by Belizes Minister of National Security, John Saldivar, to announce Canadas delivery of state-of-the-art ballistics identification equipment to the Belizean National Forensics Laboratory. The Canadian-made Integrated Ballistics Identification System (IBIS), valued at approximately $720,000, will help local investigators to link firearms to crimes and suspects. The equipment will also allow Belize to contribute to a regional ballistics information network, which could be drawn on by other national and regional law enforcement agencies such as INTERPOL.

Canadas donation of the equipment is being further bolstered through support to train Belize National Forensics Laboratory staff at the Biology Unit of Ontarios Centre of Forensic Sciences in the area of DNA testing and analysis.

Canadas support will increase the capacity of Belizean authorities to combat transnational organized crime and to contribute to greater overall security for the Belizean people, said Minister Ablonczy. These projects are part of our consistent, ongoing commitment to strengthen security and institutions in the Americas.

In Belize, Minister Ablonczy also visited the community at Spanish Lookout, which is home to an estimated 2,500 Canadian Mennonites. The community has ties to Mennonite communities in both Manitoba and Nova Scotia.