UK and Overseas Territories leaders unite in London to strengthen historic partnership
Source: gov.uk (2025-11-25)

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

- Growth, climate, security, and good governance on the agenda as the UK government strengthens its historic partnership with the UK Overseas Territories at the annual Joint Ministerial Council.
- UK to reaffirm its commitment to defending UK Overseas Territories’ sovereignty, security, and right of self-determination.
- Elected Leaders and representatives from the Overseas Territories will explore collaborative approaches to shared challenges, ensuring a respectful and sustainable partnership for the future.
Boosting economic growth, protecting the environment and strengthening security will be discussed as leaders from across the British Overseas Territories meet in London this week.

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

Meetings will focus 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 – will host 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 will also underscore 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 will attend meetings at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in London over the next three days, where the Minister will hold conversations with Leaders and representatives from across the UK government.

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.

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