MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Joint Ministerial Council meeting in London with OTs delegations

The London Falklands Government Office team attending the ministerial council

Boosting economic growth, protecting the environment and strengthening security have been discussed as leaders from across the British Overseas Territories meet in London this week.

Overseas Territories Minister Stephen Doughty is hosting the annual Joint Ministerial Council (JMC) as the UK reaffirms its strong commitment to its overseas family.

Meetings have focused on deeper collaboration in key areas: driving shared economic growth, advancing environmental conservation, strengthening territorial security, and upholding good governance and transparency.

The Territories are a highly valued and productive part of the British family, overseeing 94% of Britain’s unique species, bringing bilateral trade worth £17bn (placing the OTs among the UK’s top 25 trading partners) and sending more athletes per capita to compete in the Commonwealth Games than major countries with populations of millions.

Minister for Europe, North America and Overseas Territories Stephen Doughty said: “The Overseas Territories are an invaluable part of the British family – these are dynamic communities contributing to our shared prosperity and security and important custodians of our oceans and ecosystems, to name but a few of their many great merits.

“Delivering on the issues that matter to our Overseas Territories - including security, climate change, and growth – is a priority for this government, as well as continuing our work together to maintain good governance and transparency.”

Minister Doughty – who has visited several of the Overseas Territories in recent months – hostrd elected Leaders and representatives from across 13 of the inhabited Territories to set priorities for the year ahead, and hear their unique perspectives on how best to enhance our relationship to deliver greater security and prosperity.

The Minister also underscored the UK’s steadfast commitment to defending the Overseas Territories, their sovereignty and rights - including to self-determination - priorities underpinned by this year’s JMC tagline: Protect, Grow, Sustain – Together.

Delegates are attending meetings at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in London over three days, where the Minister will hold conversations with Leaders and representatives from across the UK government.

On Wednesday delegations met with the Constitution Committee from the House of Lords and were engaged in talks with Lords. Later in the day they were scheduled to meet Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper and later hosted to an official dinner by the Speaker of the House of Commons.

Participants in the Council will include Anguilla, Ascension, Bermuda, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, the Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, Pitcairn, the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia, St Helena, Tristan da Cunha and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

However since the Falkland Islands are in the process of a general election and the Legislative Assembly dissolved, representation fell on members of the Falklands Government Office in London, particularly Richard Hyslop and Michael Betts, together with Falklands’ young ambassadors. Richard and Michael have good contacts and knowledge of the British political system.