{{Short description|Belizean politician (born 1960)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2025}} {{Infobox officeholder | office = Minister of Foreign Affairs | image = Eamon Courtenay (cropped).jpg | caption = Eamon Courtenay in 2021 | party = People's United Party | term_start = 13 November 2020 | term_end = 31 December 2023 | birth_name = Eamon Harrison Courtenay | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1960|7|11|df=y}} | office1 = Member of the Senate | term_start1 = November 2020 | parents = Vernon Courtenay (father) | prime_minister = Johnny Briceño | successor = Francis Fonseca }}
'''Eamon Harrison Courtenay''' (born 11 June 1960) is a Belizean lawyer and politician. A member of the People's United Party, he has served as a member of the Senate since November 2020. Courtenay served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 13 November 2020 to 31 December 2023, having previously held the position from 2006 to 2007.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Eamon Harrison Courtenay – PUP – People's United Party |url=https://www.pup.org.bz/teams/eamon-courtenay/ |access-date=2022-09-12 |website=www.pup.org.bz}}</ref>
== Family == His father Vernon Harrison Courtenay served as Minister of Foreign Affairs in the 1980s.
== Political career == Courtenay was first appointed to the Senate of Belize in 2006, and served at the helm of the Senate's Special Select Committee on Immigration between November 2017 to December 2018. He resigned from the Senate on 11 June 2019.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-06-21 |title=Eamon Courtenay resigns as Senator |url=https://www.breakingbelizenews.com/2019/06/21/eamon-courtenay-resigns-as-senator/ |access-date=2024-11-27 |website=Breaking Belize News |language=en-US}}</ref> He was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs by Prime Minister Johnny Briceño in November 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Humes |first=Aaron |date=2020-11-13 |title=BREAKING: John Briceño to name 18 Ministers, seven Ministers of State |url=https://www.breakingbelizenews.com/2020/11/13/breaking-john-briceno-to-name-18-ministers-seven-ministers-of-state/ |access-date=2024-11-27 |website=Breaking Belize News |language=en-US}}</ref> His resignation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was confirmed by the government in December 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Humes |first=Aaron |date=2023-12-20 |title=Government confirms Senator Eamon Courtenay to drop Ministerial portfolios |url=https://www.breakingbelizenews.com/2023/12/19/government-confirms-senator-eamon-courtenay-to-drop-ministerial-portfolios/ |access-date=2024-11-27 |website=Breaking Belize News |language=en-US}}</ref> During his time as Foreign Minister, he established diplomatic relations with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Cowo |first1=Janelle |title=Belize establishes diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia |url=https://www.sanpedrosun.com/government/2022/09/26/belize-establishes-diplomatic-relations-with-saudi-arabia/#google_vignette |access-date=8 November 2025 |work=The San Pedro Sun |date=26 September 2022 |language=en}}</ref>
== Political positions == Courtenay has expressed frustration over the ICJ's handling of the Belizean–Guatemalan territorial dispute.<ref>{{cite news |title=Why Is Belize's Case Moving So Slowly Through ICJ? |url=https://www.7newsbelize.com/sstory.php?nid=74957 |access-date=8 November 2025 |work=7 News Belize |date=21 July 2025}}</ref> he has also criticized the "global north" for failing to ratify the Migrant Workers Convention leading to what he called abuses at Western borders, and also criticized developed countries for hoarding COVID-19 vaccines.<ref name="dab" /> Regarding foreign policy stances, he has supported Kenya's leadership of UN-approved forces in Haiti during the Haitian crisis, has condemended the United States designation of Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism, endorsed Palestinian and Taiwanese statehood, and called for an end of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.<ref name="dab">{{cite web |title=Belize {{!}} General Debate |url=https://gadebate.un.org/en/78/belize |website=gadebate.un.org |access-date=8 November 2025 |language=en |date=23 September 2023}}</ref>
Specifically regarding Palestine, he has accused Israel of war crimes since 7 October, and called for an independent Palestine that followed the pre-Six-Day War borders.<ref name="br">{{cite news |title=Foreign Minister issues latest statement of support for Palestine in Israel-Hamas war |url=https://www.breakingbelizenews.com/2023/10/29/foreign-minister-issues-latest-statement-of-support-for-palestine-in-israel-hamas-war/ |access-date=8 November 2025 |work=Breaking Belize News |date=29 October 2023}}</ref> However, he has also called for the release of Israeli hostages.<ref name="br" />
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Courtenay, Eamon}} Category:1960 births Category:Living people Category:People's United Party politicians Category:21st-century Belizean politicians Category:Foreign ministers of Belize