Guernsey attends 44th British-Irish Council Summit, ready to host next year
- Deputy Lindsay de Sausmarez represented Guernsey at the 44th British-Irish Council Summit.
- This marked her first attendance as President of the Policy & Resources Committee.
- The Summit discussed political developments and the creative industries across member administrations.
- It was hosted in the Vale of Glamorgan by the Welsh Government.
- Guernsey will host the Summit next year.
Deputy Lindsay de Sausmarez, President of the Policy & Resources Committee, represented Guernsey at the 44th British-Irish Council Summit in the Vale of Glamorgan, hosted by the Welsh Government.
This was her inaugural attendance as a Head of Administration, following her appointment in July.
The Summit's agenda focused on the political developments within BIC member administrations as well as discussions on the potential of the creative industries, particularly the screen sector.
“While I have attended Environment Ministerial meetings of the British-Irish Council in my previous role, it was an honour to represent Guernsey for the first time as a Head of Administration at the 44th British-Irish Council Summit, hosted by the Welsh Government,” Deputy de Sausmarez stated.
She emphasised the importance of Guernsey's participation in the Council as a means to strengthen relationships with other member administrations, enhancing collaboration across various policy areas.
She added, “I’m looking forward to welcoming the representatives of these jurisdictions to our island when Guernsey hosts the Summit next year.”
The summit was chaired by the First Minister of Wales, Rt Hon Eluned Morgan MS, with significant representation from UK and Irish governments and various devolved administrations.
Key representatives included the UK Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Sir Keir Starmer KCB KC MP, and the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, the Rt Hon Darren Jones MP.
The Irish Government was represented by Taoiseach, Micheál Martin TD, along with Tánaiste, Simon Harris TD, and Helen McEntee TD, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade.
The Northern Ireland Executive attendees included First Minister Michelle O’Neill MLA and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly MLA.
The Scottish Government was represented by First Minister, the Rt Hon John Swinney MSP, while the Chief Ministers of Jersey and the Isle of Man were also present.
The British-Irish Council was conceived as part of the Good Friday Agreement, aimed at fostering cooperation among the peoples of the islands, and meets in different formats to address a variety of issues from social inclusion to environmental concerns.
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