Government Minister John Cortes represented the Chief Minister at a high-level meeting of Overseas Territory (OT) leaders with the Foreign Secretary The Hon Yvette Cooper and the Minister for the Overseas Territories The Hon Stephen Doughty. Also present were Premiers, Chief Ministers and Representatives of all the OTs, as well as Governors, including the Governor of Gibraltar Sir Ben Bathurst.

The Foreign Secretary emphasised the U.K. Government’s commitment to and support for the OTs, as part of the British family.

In his contribution, Minister Cortes highlighted the collaboration there had been with U.K. and OT experts in preparing the OT Biodiversity Strategy. He also thanked the Foreign Secretary and Minister Doughty and their teams for their engagement and support for Gibraltar during the Treaty negotiations.

The Chief Minister is now in London attending the Joint Ministerial Council for two days at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.