Chief Minister Dr Rebecca Cairns-Wicks, MBE, will attend the annual Overseas Territories (OTs) Joint Ministerial Council (JMC) in London, which is due to begin on Monday 23 November 2026. For St Helena, the JMC is the island’s main annual opportunity to discuss its priorities directly with UK ministers.
Hosted by the UK Government, the JMC brings together UK ministers and elected leaders and representatives from the UK Overseas Territories. They review progress on the shared strategy for promoting the security, good governance, and sustainable economic and social development in the territories.
The Chief Minister Rebecca Cairns-Wicks says St Helena will use the event to highlight its progress, explain its challenges and present its development plans. She will discuss the significant challenges of delivering essential services within a constrained annual budget and with competing priorities. She will also explain how Official Development Assistance (ODA) and other Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) funding streams help sustain essential services and support the island’s development towards greater self-sufficiency.
The Chief Minister will also have several official engagements before the event itself, as well as meetings during the JMC. These will include meetings with UK ministers and those of other Overseas Territories. Engagement with fellow OT leaders and colleagues will provide an opportunity to share experiences, discuss mutual challenges and objectives, and strengthen relationships.
The Chief Minister is due to depart St Helena on Sunday 15 November 2026, with a scheduled arrival in London on Tuesday 17 November. Whilst the Chief Minister is off-Island, Minister Martin Henry will deputise in her absence. The Chief Minister is expected to return to St Helena on Saturday 5 December 2026.
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SHG
12 November 2026