MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falklands: Friends of the British Overseas Territories planning to visit the Islands and discuss Chagos

FOTBOT CEO Philip Smith and former First Minister of Northern Ireland, Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee. she is a House of Lords Parliamentary Adviser to FOTBOT.

Friends of the British Overseas Territories, FOTBOT, plan to visit the Falkland Islands this month with Parliamentary Adviser, Baroness Foster., together with the charity’s CEO Philip Smith.The former First Minister of Northern Ireland, Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee is a House of Lords Parliamentary Adviser to FOTBOT.

Whilst in the Falkland Islands the delegation will be touring all the different aspects of life in the Falklands. “We will also host our own reception to meet Islanders.”

In 2022, FOTBOT hosted a campaign to raise funds for the Falkland Island Museum to help build a new hangar for an old combat Sea Harrier jump jet from the Falklands War which the delegation will visit.

The visit comes in the midst of the Chagos Islands row where self-determination has been at the heart of the campaign. “We hope to rally Falkland Islanders in solidarity with the exiled Chagossians in their right to self-determination”.

CEO Philip Smith said: “This visit is an important milestone for Friends of the British Overseas Territories. On one side we are celebrating conservation efforts and understanding life in the Falkland Islands but on the other, we are standing up for self-determination.

“The British Overseas Territories are a family and we must stand together and speak-up when something is not right.

“We are looking forward to meeting officials and Islanders alike to understand critical issues of the Falkland Islands for now and the future, and incorporate our findings into the charity’s work.”

Baroness Arlene Foster said: “I’m honored to visit the Falkland Islands and meet Islanders during this special time and understand the critical issues facing the British people there.

“After going through the invasion and subsequent war in 1982 and then being asked about their identity in 1986 and 2013 - the Falkland Islands knows the definition of self-determination and so proudly waves the Union flag.

“This is why we must stand up for Chagossians and I’ll certainly be understanding the view from the Falkland Islands and show solidarity with our wider British family.”