Belmopan, May 13, 2026.
Belize has been elected to serve on the Executive Council of the Inter-American Center of Tax Administrations (CIAT) for the 2026–2027 term during the Administrative Session of the 60th CIAT General Assembly held on May 11, 2026, in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
The election represents a significant milestone for Belize. It reflects the growing recognition of the country’s ongoing efforts to modernize and strengthen tax administration through digital transformation, international cooperation, and institutional reform.
The newly elected Executive Council will be chaired by Mr. Pedro Porfirio Urrutia of the Dominican Republic as President, and will include representatives from Belize, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Curaçao, Colombia, the Netherlands, and Panama.
Belize will be represented on the Executive Council by Mrs. Michelle Longsworth, Director General of the Belize Tax Service.
The CIAT Executive Council is one of the organization’s principal governing bodies. It plays an important role in guiding the strategic direction and cooperation agenda of the organization among member countries.
The Government of Belize and the Belize Tax Service Department expressed sincere appreciation to the member countries of CIAT for the confidence placed in Belize through this election.
Director General Michelle Longsworth noted that Belize remains committed to contributing meaningfully to regional and international collaboration in tax administration and to sharing its experiences in areas such as digital transformation, taxpayer services, data-driven compliance management, transparency initiatives, and institutional modernization.
Mrs. Longsworth further highlighted that the Belize Tax Service Department has benefited significantly from the longstanding technical cooperation and support provided by CIAT throughout Belize’s tax administration reform journey. Over the years, CIAT has played an important role in supporting several modernization initiatives focused on strengthening operational efficiency, institutional capacity, digital transformation, and the modernization of tax administration processes and services.
She also emphasized that Belize is now advancing the implementation of Electronic Invoicing, one of the administration’s most transformative digital initiatives. Through this initiative, Belize is positioning itself as a leading English-speaking jurisdiction within the CIAT community in the implementation of modern Electronic Invoicing standards, reinforcing its commitment to digital transformation and data-driven tax administration.
The Electronic Invoicing initiative is expected to significantly enhance real-time transaction reporting, improve compliance monitoring capabilities, strengthen transparency, and support more effective, data-driven tax administration.
Belize’s election to the Executive Council comes at a time when the country continues to advance major reform initiatives, including strengthening digital tax administration systems, enhancing international tax cooperation frameworks, and the ongoing transition toward a modern, semi-autonomous revenue authority.
The 60th CIAT General Assembly, hosted by the Dirección General de Impuestos Internos (DGII) of the Dominican Republic, is being held under the theme “Digital Transformation of Tax Administrations” and brings together leaders of tax administrations and international organizations from around the world to discuss emerging trends, innovation, and the future of tax administration in an increasingly digital global environment.
About CIAT
The Inter-American Center of Tax Administrations (CIAT), founded in 1967 and headquartered in Panama, is an international organization that promotes cooperation, modernization, and strengthening of tax administrations among its member countries from the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Asia.
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