Briceño tells UN poverty has fallen in Belize as unemployment stands at 1.9%

By Breaking Belize News Staff: Prime Minister John Briceño told the United Nations General Assembly on Saturday that poverty has fallen in Belize, highlighting the country’s latest economic and social indicators as evidence of progress under his administration.

Briceño said multidimensional poverty now stands at 19.1 percent, while unemployment is at 1.9 percent and public debt has been reduced to approximately 66.6 percent of GDP.

“Vamos bien. We are doing well, but we have farther to go,” Briceño told the Assembly.

Figures from the Statistical Institute of Belize support the Prime Minister’s statement on poverty. SIB reported that 19.1 percent of Belize’s population was multidimensionally poor in September 2025, down from 22.1 percent in September 2024 — a decline of three percentage points.

According to SIB, the decline represented an estimated 13,095 fewer people and 2,809 fewer households experiencing multidimensional poverty compared with the previous year. Improvements were recorded in areas including internet connectivity, household well-being and youth participation in education, training or employment.

The latest labour force data also puts Belize’s unemployment rate at 1.9 percent as of April 2026, down from 2.1 percent in April 2025. However, SIB noted that the reduction was largely due to lower labour-force participation, particularly among women. The labour force fell by 13,313 people year-on-year, while the number of employed persons declined by 12,611.

Briceño told the UN that the figures represent more than statistics, saying they reflect families with greater purchasing power and increased room for government investment.

He said the next phase of the Government’s national strategy will focus on creating jobs, reducing vulnerability and dependence on imported energy, protecting Belize’s ecosystems and preparing Belizeans to compete in a changing economy.

Briceño also highlighted the ongoing implementation of Plan Belize 2.0 and the Belize Compact with the United States as major components of that strategy.

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