Following the publication of the UK Government’s (UKG) written Ministerial statement to Parliament on Tuesday, St Helena Government (SHG) is now able to publish the annexes that accompany the extension of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between SHG and the UKG relating to potential future migrant arrivals from the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT).
The extension agreement, announced in May 2026, secures up to £9.05 million in additional support for St Helena, comprising £8 million in development funding, up to £800,000 in preparedness funding and a £250,000 unrestricted ex-gratia payment.
The annexes provide important additional detail on how the agreement will operate and the safeguards that have been put in place.
Annex A https://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/documents/biot-mou-annex-a/
Annex A sets out the additional funding package and preparedness arrangements. It
- includes support for education, health services, telecommunications, renewable energy, immigration capability, accommodation readiness and data protection systems
- recognises St Helena’s valued place within the British family by setting out further commitments for support, as well as areas for further exploration such as reviewing UK healthcare quota arrangements; exploring options to support SHG with training and upskilling staff involved in mental health provision; engaging on a proposal to extend certain privileges to St Helena. Many of these are long running goals that will make a significant difference to the delivery of our health care services and costs for running the SHG UK Office.
- details the support that would be available to St Helena in the event of migrant arrivals.
The extension also includes a commitment, subject to drafting support from the UKG to introduce a Data Protection Ordinance for St Helena. While this commitment supports the operation of the BIOT arrangements, it will also strengthen the island’s wider framework for protecting personal information. SHG Data Protection Policy was approved in October 2024 but work to progress legislation was paused due to other priorities. It is anticipated that following enactment of a Data Protection Ordinance a lead in period of two years would be provided for before this legislation is brought into force. This will ensure that Government departments, businesses in the private sector and individuals will all have sufficient time to understand the requirements of the legislation and make the necessary changes to their systems and processes to ensure compliance.
Annex B https://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/documents/biot-mou-annex-b/
Annex B establishes a temporary data-sharing framework that enables SHG to undertake appropriate health and security screening before any transfer can take place. It contains strict safeguards governing the handling of personal information, limits the purposes for which data may be used and requires secure processing arrangements.
The extension also reflects lessons learned from the original agreement. Key features of the extension are:
- that the annexes are expressly recognised as an integral and inextricable part of the MOU to ensure clarity about what forms part of the overall package agreed between SHG and UKG.
- Setting timelines and feasible commitments where cross UKG support in the agreement is required, to avoid creating expectations that cannot be fulfilled.
- having greater clarity around what support would be given by SHG in the event of migrants arrivals on St Helena.
BIOT Project Manager Appointed
SHG is pleased to announce that Shelby Bargo commenced her role as BIOT Project Manager last week. Shelby will be responsible for overseeing and coordinating preparations to ensure that appropriate processes and arrangements are in place should any migrants get transferred to St Helena. Her role will involve working closely with relevant departments and stakeholders to support effective planning, operational readiness, and coordinated responses.
The MOU can be found at https://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/documents/BIOT-MoU-QA.pdf. A Q&A can also be found at https://www.sainthelena.gov.sh/documents/biot-mou-qa/.
Chief Minister Rebecca Cairns-Wicks said:
“The publication of these annexes provides greater transparency about the safeguards, protections and support that underpin the extension agreement.
The overriding principle remains unchanged: any arrangements must not place an unreasonable financial, operational or resource burden on St Helena. The extension strengthens the protections available to the island, secures significant additional investment in our development priorities and provides greater clarity around preparedness, additional provisions, data protection and funding responsibilities.
We recognise that people will hold differing views on the wider BIOT arrangements. It is therefore important that the public can see the detail of what has been agreed and the measures that have been put in place to protect the interests of St Helena.”
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