BVI Premier Visited Brussels to Discuss Partnership

In the beginning of April, British Virgin Islands Premier and Minister of Finance, Dr Orlando Smith, made an official visit to Brussels, during which he had meetings with European Union (EU) officials and discussed partnerships and programs for the benefit of the 26 Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) associated with EU. At the European Commission, the Premier discussed plans for the 13th OCT-EU Forum which will be held in the British Virgin Islands. Also, BVI Premier met with United Kingdom Member of European Parliament (MEP) Ashley Fox.

On behalf of the Premier, BVI London Office director Kedrick Malone and deputy director Benito Wheatley met the secretary general of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of Countries (ACP) Secretariat, and discussed economic cooperation and programming between the OCTs and ACP countries in the regions where they are located.

Dr Orlando Smith launched himself as chairman of the Overseas Countries and Territories Association (OCTA). He was introduced to OCTA partners, among them representatives of the Greek Presidency of EU, Caribbean ambassadors to the EU, the director of the OCT Task Force at the European Commission, representatives of an environmental non-governmental organisation (NGO) and representatives of the OCTA Executive Committee (ExCo).