Prime Minister John Briceño left Belize today for Bangkok, Thailand, to attend meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group.
The Prime Minister will attend the meetings from October 12 to 18, 2026, and returns to Belize on Sunday, October 18. The Office of the Prime Minister describes them as the “ancillary meetings” of the IMF and the World Bank Group.
While he is away, Deputy Prime Minister Cordel Hyde, who is also Minister of Natural Resources, Petroleum and Mining, will hold over as Prime Minister.
The meetings are officially the 2026 Annual Meetings of the IMF and the World Bank Group. According to the IMF, it is the first time Thailand has hosted them since 1991. They bring together government delegations, IMF and World Bank staff, civil society groups and other stakeholders.
The World Bank’s schedule includes flagship events on artificial intelligence and jobs on October 12 and on mobilizing private capital for jobs on October 14. The Development Committee meets on October 15, followed by the Annual Meetings Plenary on October 16 and the International Monetary and Financial Committee plenary on October 17. A Civil Society Policy Forum, seminars and workshops run throughout the week.
The IMF’s schedule lists a session on Caribbean trade patterns and connectivity constraints on October 13, presented by its Western Hemisphere Department.
