Belmopan, August 20, 2025.
The Government of Belize, through the Ministry of the Public Service, Governance, and Disaster Risk Management, in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance, Economic Transformation, and Investment, and the University of Belize, has officially launched the first-ever Public Financial Management Certification Programme under the Strengthening Public Expenditure Management (SPEM) Project funded by the Inter-American Development Bank.
The initiative was inaugurated with an orientation session held at the Jaguar Auditorium, University of Belize Belmopan Campus, on Monday, August 18, 2025. The event marks the beginning of a transformative effort to build institutional capacity in public financial management (PFM).
Over 80 public sector officials representing ministries, departments, and agencies attended the orientation, underscoring Belize’s strong commitment to improving transparency, accountability, and efficiency in the management of public resources.
Key orientation topics included:
- Introduction to Public Sector Financial Management
• Roles and Responsibilities in PFM
• Navigating the Learning Platform
• Time Management and Goal Setting
• Change Management (ADKAR Assessment)
Participants were also introduced to the program’s digital learning platform, created in partnership with the University of Belize’s Open and Distance Learning (ODL) unit, which will ensure flexible, accessible, and high-quality training.
The Programme, developed through a national skills gap analysis and with input from key stakeholders across the financial sector, is designed to equip public officers with practical tools, technical knowledge, and ethical frameworks to strengthen financial governance.
The certification programme, scheduled to commence on September 1, 2025, will focus on strengthening capacities in accounting, budgeting, procurement, treasury, and internal audit (control), while also promoting compliance with national and international financial standards.
This initiative highlights the Ministry’s ongoing commitment to modernizing the public service, enhancing Belize’s institutional resilience, and fostering a culture of good governance through strategic capacity development.
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