MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Sixt Overseas Territories Consultative Council.

Bill Rammell MP, Overseas Territories Minister, is hosting the sixth meeting of the Overseas Territories Consultative Council (OTCC) commencing on 21 September at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

The event will be attended by Chief Ministers and senior politicians from Britain's Overseas Territories, including the Premier of Bermuda and Councillors from St Helena and the Falkland Islands. The Council is held annually in London and provides a forum for consultation with British Government Ministers.

Prior to the event Mr Rammell said:

'I am looking forward to my second OTCC. The annual Council meeting provides an excellent forum for consultation with leaders of the Territories' governments.'

This year discussion will cover the UK / OT relationship, constitutional reform, sustainable development, the Overseas Territories Environment Programme, disaster preparedness, and EU development assistance. Informal round table discussions will also be held on climate change, HIV / AIDS, and child rights and protection.

Note:

The Overseas Territories Consultative Council was established in 1999 as a forum for discussion of key policy issues with heads of territory governments. The Council meets once a year in London. An FCO Minister (currently Mr Rammell) has specific responsibilities for Overseas Territory issues. While they are in London, Chief Ministers will also be meeting Ministers and officials from a number of other Whitehall Departments for discussions on topical issues on which those Departments have policy lead. Informal round table discussions will also be held at DFID on child protection, HIV / AIDS and climate change.

Not all the territories have a resident population. Those with a permanent resident population are:

Anguilla Bermuda British Virgin Islands Cayman Islands Falkland Islands Gibraltar Montserrat Pitcairn St Helena and its dependencies of Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Turks and Caicos Islands