Britain in the World

On 23 June, the British people voted to leave the European Union (EU) and British Prime Minister Theresa May has been clear that Brexit means Brexit. But does this mean that the UK will be taking a single step from the centre of the international stage? The answer is a resounding no.  Instead, the UK will embrace the new opportunities which Brexit brings.

Britain is committed to working with our international partners like Guatemala, fully playing our part in ensuring a safer, healthier and more prosperous world. The UK is a permanent member of the UN Security Council, of NATO, of the G7, the G20 and the Commonwealth.

The UK is the second biggest bilateral donor of development aid in the world, after the USA.  The UK will continue its commitment to spend 2% of its GDP on defence.  We will continue to promote our core values of freedom, democracy and the rule of law.

We want to reaffirm our presence in Guatemala through an ambitious programme of co-operation.  This year, among other projects, we will continue to support the work of the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) and the Office of the Public Prosecutor in the fight against corruption and strengthening of the judiciary.  We will support Guatemala and Belize as they seek a resolution of their territorial dispute through the International Court of Justice.

The UK has been and always will be a trading nation, and once we have left the EU we will need to consider how to continue the trade links which, in the spirit of free trade, have been growing in recent years between our two countries.  The UK is likely to want to start to negotiate new free trade agreements, either bilateral or regional.  Guatemala and Central America will remain a priority.   London will continue to be regarded as the world’s leading financial hub creating a wealth of opportunities for our trading partners.

Our education institutions are world renown – Britain is home to four of the world’s top ten universities. This year, four Guatemalans will go to the UK to study for masters degrees with a full grant from the British government, and many others have chosen British universities to continue their studies or to do doctorates.

Britain will continue to thrive and prosper, it will continue to be a reliable ally and trusted partner, its creativity and innovation will not be diminished in any way. While the nature of our relationship with the EU is still to be determined, we will want the strongest possible economic links with our European neighbors, as well as our close friends in North America, the Commonwealth and Latin America.

Our vision is of a Britain that is respected abroad, tolerant and welcoming at home, and completely committed to working with our international partners to build a better world for our and future generations.