Relationship dossier
Belize
United Kingdom
Relationship assessment
Cooperative ties rooted in constitutional links and defense cooperation
Belize toward United Kingdom
+35Belize participates in bilateral defense cooperation that allows British military training in Belize. The extent of Belizean government cooperation with the UK in other areas is unclear.
United Kingdom toward Belize
+40The United Kingdom has supported Belize’s security, including through British military presence connected to the territorial dispute with Guatemala, and conducts military training in Belize under bilateral cooperation.
Overall relationship
+40The relationship combines continuing constitutional links with concrete defense cooperation. British security support related to Belize’s dispute with Guatemala and military training in Belize are significant features, although the breadth of current cooperation is unclear.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Belize and the United Kingdom maintain cooperative ties shaped by Belize’s history and continuing constitutional links with the Crown. Bilateral defense cooperation includes British military training in Belize, while the UK has also supported Belize’s security in the context of its territorial dispute with Guatemala. The scope of current cooperation beyond these areas is unclear.
Key developments
Belize became independent from the United Kingdom while retaining the British monarch as head of state.
The United Kingdom ended its military presence in Belize that had been maintained in connection with the country’s territorial dispute with Guatemala.
British military training and defense cooperation continued in Belize.
Major uncertainties
- The scope and terms of current bilateral defense and training arrangements are unclear.
- The extent of current UK development assistance and other government-to-government cooperation is unclear.