British Govt White Paper On The Overseas Territories

Press Release .
28th June 2012

British Government Publishes White Paper On The Overseas Territories

The UK Government renews and strengthens its relationship with the Overseas Territories today with the publication of its White Paper, “The Overseas Territories: Security, Success and Sustainability”.

Foreign Secretary, William Hague said:

“The Coalition Government has a vision for the Territories: of flourishing communities, proudly retaining aspects of their British identity and creating new opportunities for young and future generations; of natural environments protected and managed to the highest international standards.

“The UK and the Territories share significant challenges. We have a broad responsibility to support them and to ensure their security and good governance.

“The Strategy set out in this White Paper is designed to meet these challenges and deliver the vision.”

The UK and the 14 Territories share a special and unique bond, with shared historical links that go back more than four centuries. We have a responsibility to ensure the security and good governance of the Territories, but more than that, we want the Territories to be vibrant and flourishing communities that proudly retain aspects of their British identity.

This White Paper focuses on three goals, and explains the practical steps that will be taken to achieve them: strengthening engagement between the UK and the Territories; working with the Territories to strengthen good governance, public financial management and economic planning where this is necessary; and improving the quality and range of support available to the Territories.
The White Paper was developed across government departments and in consultation with the people and governments of the Territories. In the year in which Britain and the Territories celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty The Queen, it sends an important signal of ambition and engagement.

The Overseas Territories are incredibly diverse; they include thousands of small islands, vast areas of ocean, but also, in Antarctica, land six times the size of the United Kingdom. They include one of the world’s richest communities, in Bermuda; and the most remote community, in Tristan da Cunha. They are internationally recognised for their exceptionally rich and varied natural environments. They are home to an estimated 90% of the biodiversity found within the UK and the Territories combined and include two of the world’s largest Marine Protected Areas.

Notes:

1) The Government set out its Strategy towards the Overseas Territories in a Written Ministerial Statement on 14 September 2011 (available through Hansard).

2) The FCO conducted a public consultation on the Overseas Territories strategy from September 2011 to January 2012. The results were published in March 2012 can be found on the FCO website. [available at http://ukoverseasterritories.readandcomment.com/]

3) The White Paper includes sections on the work of all UK Government Departments, who have published their own Papers on how they engage with the Territories. Links to Departmental papers are included in the White Paper.

4) On 18 June DEFRA launched the latest round of its Darwin Fund initiative which will fund further biodiversity work in the Territories [http://www.defra.gov.uk/news/2012/06/19/7-5-million-to-global-wildlife/]

5) There are fourteen UK Overseas Territories, eleven of which have permanent populations.
• Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Montserrat and the Turks and Caicos Islands are all in the Caribbean.
• Bermuda is in the North Atlantic Ocean.
• The Falkland Islands and the Territory of St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha are located in the South Atlantic.
• Pitcairn, with a population of less than 60 people, is the only Territory in the Pacific.
• Gibraltar is the only Territory in the EU. The Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekilia in Cyprus are an Overseas Territory but are not formally part of the EU.
• The remaining Territories, ie the British Antarctic Territory, the British Indian Ocean Territory, and South Georgia & the South Sandwich Islands (in the South Atlantic) do not have permanent populations.

6) The White Paper covers defence and security issues; economic diversification; the environment; good governance; and external relations, as well as focussing on the communities of the Territories.

ENDS

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