4 March 2016 | Comments
Councillor Lawson Henry, Assistant Financial Secretary Dax Richards and SHG UK Representative Kedell Worboys MBE attended the Ministerial Conference and the 14th Overseas Countries & Territories Forum (EU-OCT) in Brussels, Belgium – from Thursday 25 to Friday 26 February 2016. The team represented St Helena, Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha.
Discussions at the Ministerial conference centred on the presentation of reports, progress during the year, the structure of the Overseas Countries & Territories Association (OCTA) and preparation for the next day’s Forum.
The Forum saw statements from Commissioner Mimica and representatives of the member states. The UK was represented by James Duddridge MP, the Minister in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) with responsibility for the majority of the UK Overseas Territories.
The Prime Minister of Curacao, the Hon Bernard Whiteman – in his capacity as Chair of OCTA – signed an Energy Declaration with Commissioner Mimica.
Kedell Worboys said:
“There were two round tables – one on the new Global Agreement on Climate Change and the OCTs’ response, and one on Enhancing Growth and Investment Opportunities in the OCTs. Councillor Henry made an intervention during the first round table, and Dax gave a presentation which was well received by the European Commission.”
A trilateral meeting was also held with the European Commission and representatives of the UK on progress relating to the 10th European Development Fund and programming for EDF 11.
Councillor Henry and Dax Richards will arrive back on St Helena on Thursday 10 March 2016.
SHG
4 March 2016
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