The hearings may last only a few weeks, but the wait for a final decision could stretch well into 2027. The International Court of Justice has scheduled oral arguments in the Belize-Guatemala territorial dispute for February and March, marking one of the final and most consequential stages of a process that could permanently shape Belize’s borders. But once both countries make their case, how soon can Belizeans expect a ruling? Foreign Minister Francis Fonseca estimates the court could take another seven to eight months to deliver its judgment. He spoke with us about that possible timeline and why Belize’s participation in the ICJ process remains critically important.
Francis Fonseca
Francis Fonseca, Minister of Foreign Affairs
“In terms of Belize Guatemala, we are very focused on the ICJ process. For us, that is the critical issue in our relationship. We as countries have determined we are committed to resolving these issues peacefully through the judicial process, through the international court of Justice. We are happy that the court has set a date for the oral hearing, so next year February we will get our day in court and that is where our focus is in terms of this relationship. It continuities to be a challenging relationship. At the diplomatic level we have good relations between ourselves, our foreign ministry, the foreign ministry of Guatemala. We want a final definitive, peaceful resolution to this matter so we can move forward with our established legal boundaries, borders in place, and move forward as two neighbors working together to advance the interest of our people. My understanding is that normally, it takes, in terms of a decision, of course this is subject, entirely up to the court, they will determine when they hand down the decision. I asked that question myself and I was told normally, generally a decision takes between seven and ten months to be handed down.”
Minister Fonseca says the ministry has not yet decided which government officials will attend the oral hearings, aside from Belize’s legal team and agents.
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