11 November 2025
Chief Minister, Dr Rebecca Cairns-Wicks MBE, is due to depart St Helena on Saturday 15 November 2025, 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 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 is due to begin on 24 November 2025, with the main formal discussion meetings taking place between 26 and 27 November. The Chief Minister will also have a number of official engagements before and after the event itself. These engagements will include a bilateral meeting with Stephen Doughty, Minister of State for Europe, North America and Overseas Territories and meetings with other UK Government Ministers, OT leaders and other representatives.
The Chief Minister will be joined by His Excellency the Governor Nigel Philips CBE and SHG UK Representative, Kedell Worboys MBE.
The Governor and the Chief Minister are due to arrive back on St Helena on Saturday 6 December. Whilst they are off-island, Tasha Harris, Head of the Governor’s Office, will be sworn in as Acting Governor and Minister Martin Henry will be appointed Deputy Chief Minister.
In speaking about her attendance at the JMC, the Chief Minister said:
“I am honoured to represent St Helena at my first UK Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council. This is the most important annual political event in the calendar for St Helena and all UK Overseas Territories (UKOTs). Bringing together UK Ministers and elected leaders from each Territory to discuss key issues, agree priorities, progress action and strengthen the partnership between the Territories and the UK Government. This is an important opportunity for our new Government to raise St Helena’s voice directly in the UK, to showcase St Helena’s progress and achievements over the last year, highlight our challenges, set out our plans for development and advocate for the support needed to build a more sustainable and resilient future for our island.”
11 November 2025