Transparency data

Overseas Territories Programme summary 2022 to 2023

Published 30 March 2023

Objectives

The FCDO non-ODA programme this year has concentrated primarily on:

• supporting environmental protection, including sustainable marine management
• promotion good governance and sustainable economic development
• upholding UK sovereignty and meeting international obligations
• increasing capacity so that the Overseas Territories are better able to respond to, and recover from, a crisis or natural disaster

Overseas Territories Programme during financial year 2022 to 2023

In financial year 2022 to 2023, the International Programme non-ODA spend focussed on supporting 5 broad areas: environmental protection, fulfilling constitutional obligations, providing technical assistance on financial matters, reinforcing security and resilience and providing some limited funds for infrastructure projects. For example:

• The Blue Belt programme supports the UK Overseas Territories to enhance marine protection and sustainable management. By creating 4 million km² of marine protected areas around 9 OTs, the Blue Belt programme is delivering the evidence required to show that Marine Protected Areas work and reinforces the UK’s global leadership of ocean protection. In 2022 to 2023, Anguilla joined the Blue Belt programme with the aim of developing their marine economy while enhancing sustainability and environmental protection

• constitutional obligations were supported in the British Indian Ocean Territory by reimbursing its Administration’s operational spend and activity. In the British Antarctic Territory funding supported the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust to enable it to continue to preserve and protect British Antarctic heritage, and deliver projects related to education and outreach on the history and heritage of UK involvement in Antarctica

• the International Programme has also provided technical assistance to improve international financial standards in the OTs, including a lawyer to assist the governments on Anguilla and Montserrat with legal drafting for legislation on anti-money laundering and combatting terrorist financing. The Programme funded consultants to work with the British Virgin Islands Police Force to increase their anti-money laundering capacity and a financial specialist to the Government of Anguilla. Furthermore, funding was provided for technical support to help Anguilla, Turks & Caicos Islands, Montserrat and St Helena to introduce publicly accessible registers of beneficial ownership

• in October 2022 the programme supported the response of the Turks & Caicos Islands Police Force to an outbreak of violent crime by funding a team of UK investigators. It has also funded the upgrade of an existing Regional Criminal Intelligence System used by 8 OT police forces and helped improve resilience to natural disasters in the Caribbean OTs with training and equipment

• International Programme funding has also improved critical national infrastructure in Ascension Island through the provision of a hospital testing lab, wastewater treatment plants, a barge and critical tree surgery and landslide works. Finally, the International Programme is funding a major project in Anguilla through the development of a modern airport