JMC Week begins with key London meetings
Report and photos from Tristan Government UK Representative Chris Carnegy
A trio of events in London on 24th November 2025 kicked-off a busy week for Tristan da Cunha's relationship to the UK.
The week will see the annual Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council, as UK ministers and Territory leaders meet. This year, I will attend the events in London while Chief Islander Ian Lavarello joins key sessions via video call from the island.
Left to right: Ascension councillors Tom Barnes and Laura Shearer, Falklands representative Richard Hyslop, St Helena Chief Minister Rebecca Cairns-Wicks and representative Kedell Worboys, Chris Carnegy.
Monday morning began with the OT leaders gathering in the ornate surroundings of the National Liberal Club, meeting as the Political Council of the UK Overseas Territories Association. They looked ahead to the JMC agenda, swapped ideas for how best to progress the relationship between the OTs and the UK, and voted to boost funding for UKOTA to maintain the Territories' profile.
Political Council delegates
In the afternoon, I met delegates from St Helena and the Falklands, to review progress from a South Atlantic perspective. It's hoped all the region's leaders will meet regularly online, now that internet speeds on the islands are improved.
Preparing an intervention at Political Council
The day concluded with a dinner given by the UK's minister for the Overseas Territories Stephen Doughty. He and the leaders shared thoughts on ways to progress the partnership between the UK and the OTs.