14 November 2024
Chief Minister Julie Thomas, is due to depart St Helena on Saturday, 16 November 2024 to travel to the UK to attend the annual Overseas Territories (OTs) Joint Ministerial Council (JMC).
The JMC takes place every year in London and is hosted by the UK Government. It brings together elected leaders and representatives from all of the OTs, as well as UK Ministers and provides the principal forum for political dialogue and consultation between the UK and the OTs.
The JMC will run over two days and is due to begin on 20 November 2024. It will cover a range of issues including, Security and Irregular Migration; Economic Diversification and Resilience; Illicit Finance and Sanctions; Climate and the Environment; and Human Development. The Chief Minister will be leading on the discussion entitled ‘ODA Recipient Territories’ on Day 1, which will focus on gaining a collective understanding of issues faced by Official Development Assistance, (ODA) recipient territories whilst identifying and sharing learning with other OT Leaders in respect of ODA graduation, which is becoming a real concern for St Helena.
The Chief Minister will also have a number of official engagements before and after the event itself. These engagements will include meetings with Minister of State for Europe, North America and UK Overseas Territories, Stephen Doughty MP, other OT leaders and representatives, DEFRA Minister Creagh, Dame Meg Hillier MP, Chair of the Treasury Committee and John Camp OBE, CEO Compass Partnership Schools to name but a few.
With the SHG UK Representative Kedell Worboys accompanying Minister Christine Scipio at COP29 in Baku, the Chief Minister will be joined by key officials, including Governor Nigel Phillips CBE and SHG UK Representative Office Manager, Glenda Bas.
The Chief Minister is due to arrive back on St Helena on Saturday 30 November. Whilst she is off-Island, Minister Jeffrey Ellick will be appointed Deputy Chief Minister and will be contactable via email jeffrey.ellick@sainthelena.gov.sh.
Chief Minister Thomas commented:
“I am looking forward to a productive and informative JMC, which will be provide me with my first opportunity to engage with Ministers of the new UK Labour Government. The JMC is the principal forum for reviewing and implementing the shared strategy for promoting the security and good governance of the Territories and our sustainable economic and social development, hence it is crucial that I make every effort to ensure that St Helena is prepared to eloquently set out our political agenda.
This year, I am particularly looking forward to leading on the ODA Territories discussion and my bilateral with Minister Doughty. I firmly believe that these sessions will afford me the time to put St Helena in the spotlight, highlighting our strengths and achievements, whilst also placing emphasis on the significant challenges we face when having to operate within the parameters of a confined annual budget with ever-increasing competing priorities, and equally striving to achieve the best outcomes for our island in the timeliest manner. I sincerely hope that the interventions I present, will go some way to facilitate the understanding of our UK Minister and the wider UKG fraternity of how reliant we are on ODA and other FCDO funding streams to sustain our essential services and develop our island to become more self-sustaining.
Furthermore, I am keen to interact with my fellow OT Leaders and colleagues as this experience is always invigorating. It provides the opportunity to share experiences, discuss mutual challenges and objectives and enables us to strengthen our relationships.”