MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

MLAs to UN C24 conference: “Falklands have a lot to give the world in fisheries and science”

MLA Barkman is meeting delegates from Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua to strengthen relationships, as well with other small islands and developing states.

The Falkland Islands lawmakers, MLA Teslyn Barkman and MLA Gavin Short will represent the Falkland Islands at the upcoming United Nations Decolonization Committee or C-24 conference in New York at the beginning of June.

Portfolio holder for international relations, MLA Barkman has just attended a pre-C-24 meetings in Venezuela, where she made an outstanding speech, and is planning to meet and/or travel to Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago and Antigua to strengthen relationships, as well with other small islands and developing states.

Honour to meet with @presidentaligy and Ministers to discuss economic development, challenges and self-determination. @vickrambharrat_ @HughToddgt

#Guyana holds its biodiversity and people at the core. A shared value in the #FalklandIslands pic.twitter.com/c24JYSHkmV

— Teslyn Barkman (@teslynbark) May 20, 2024

In an interview with the local television, MLA Barkman explained that if the Falklands did not attend the C24 meetings, “it would send an incredibly wrong signal to the UN about the Falkland Islanders and our right to self determination”. She is also hoping to use the trip as an opportunity to talk directly with countries about ways to build links more generally, because “I think there is a lot of opportunity there, and particularly with the small islands developing states, hopefully to exchange information on economic challenges and to build softer links, which hopefully will give us a more permanent presence in the minds of these countries”.

But added MLA Barkman, Falklands have also been building sporting links with different countries and “we know of a lot of efforts, particularly through some of our scientific administration such as SAERI which doing a great work across the Caribbean, building a network there where the Falklands is really getting a positive reputation”.

“We have also been doing work internationally to draw attention on IUU fishing and the horrible things happening on the high seas of the Southwest Atlantic. The work we have been doing to gather UK attention to that as well as attraction from the region and elsewhere in the world.”

Finally, “I think this is really starting to make people stand up and take notice that the Falklands have a lot to give the world and actually we are very well placed to deliver on that.”

Speaking at the @UN C-24 regional seminar (2024) in Venezuela, member of the @FIAssembly, @teslynbark, made the case for Falkland Islanders' right to self-determination and how this is at the heart of our relationship with the UK. #SelfDetermination #Falklands pic.twitter.com/oGJ9vQTxfA

— FIG Representative to the UK and Europe (@FalklandsRepUK) May 17, 2024