Belize files statement with ICJ over border dispute with Guatemala

BELMOPAN, Belize (CMC)–The Belize government on Wednesday said that it had filed its written observations with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in response to the written statements submitted by Guatemala. “The written observations, which consist of two volumes…were filed in the Registry pursuant to Article 85, paragraph 1, of the Rules of Court, within the time limit as extended by the Court in its Order of 16 April 2026,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade said in a brief statement. It said that the written observations of Honduras on Guatemala’s written statement were also filed in the Registry on the same day. Belize and Guatemala have a long-standing territorial dispute, with Guatemala claiming more than 11,000 square kilometres of Belizean land, islands and maritime areas. The dispute is now before the International Court of Justice (ICJ) In March 2000, Belize and Guatemala resumed discussions on their territorial dispute with the assistance of the Organization of American States (OAS) and on November 8, 2000, they signed the first Agreement on Confidence Building Measures, establishing an “Adjacency Line” and a one-kilometre “Adjacency Zone” on either side. A second Agreement was signed on February 7, 2003, and subsequently amended in September 2005 by the “Agreement on a Framework for Negotiation and Confidence Building Measures between Belize and Guatemala. Earlier this week, Belize Prime Minister John Briceño said the ICJ would receive oral presentations in the case between Guatemala and Belize from February 22 to 26 next year. Briceño in a nationwide radio and television broadcast, said that he has been informed by the registrar of the ICJ that oral presentations in the Belize-Honduras case will be heard from March 5, 2027 regarding the sovereignty over the Sapodilla Cayes and that these hearings will take place at The Hague. “For too long our borders have been disputed by our neighbours. In keeping with our commitment to the peaceful settlement of disputes and respect for the rule of law, we have had recourse to the court. “We are confident that all doubts will be removed by these two court cases. Belize will be vindicated. Belize has engaged a stellar team of international lawyers and experts to advise us and to present our case before the court,” Briceño said.