JMC wraps up with benign communiqué

(CNS): The virtual Joint Ministerial Council meeting wrapped up on Thursday after fours days of talks between the UK government and its territories’ leaders. Although the minister responsible for the territories quit part way through the talking shop, the event ended as usual with an inoffensive communiqué emphasizing the “special partnership between the UK and the Overseas Territories (OTs)”.

Prince Charles spoke to the OT representatives about COP26, the United Nations’ climate change conference that will be hosted by the British government in Scotland next year, and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson told them that the UK was “absolutely committed” to the OT’s and the partnership.

“As we go forward and recover from this pandemic, we want to make sure that we build back greener and that we look after island economies that are so vulnerable to climate change,” the PM said. “In spite of everything, of the difficulties we are going through, we remember that we are united by deep ties of kinship and friendship and history and values. We in the UK government are going to make sure we continue to intensify that partnership.”

According to a press release from the governor’s office, the Prince of Wales, spoke directly about the environment and the territories’ “huge contribution to our biodiversity”.

Wendy Morton, the foreign office minister who has responsibility for the Falklands and Gibraltar and chaired much of the Joint Ministerial Council, said the overseas territories were part of the UK family. 

“We take our responsibilities towards them extremely seriously, whether that means working with them to defend the OTs from threats, helping preserve the natural environment, or supporting OTs in times of crisis – as we have with COVID-19,” she said. “When we face global challenges, we face them together”

The online agenda this year included discussions about border security, prisons and criminal justice, as well as COVID-19 and climate change.