Chief Minister welcomes new UK Minister for Overseas Territories

Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, took part in the first meeting between the elected leaders of the British Overseas Territories and the new UK Minister for the Overseas Territories, Uma Kumaran MP.

The meeting was convened by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the United Kingdom Overseas Territories Association.

Ms Kumaran succeeds Stephen Doughty MP, who is now Minister of State at the FCDO for the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

“I thank Minister Doughty for his Rock-solid support during our Treaty negotiations and I welcome Minister Kumaran to her new role and wish her well,” Chief Minister, Fabian Picardo, said.

“I look forward to working with her, as I have with her predecessors, in the interests of Gibraltar and of the Overseas Territories.”

Ms Kumaran is the Member of Parliament for Stratford and Bow, and before entering Parliament, she worked internationally to advance bolder climate action as the Director of Diplomatic and International Relations at a global climate organisation.

She has been appointed by the Prime Minister as a member of the UK-EU Parliamentary Assembly, pushing forward on closer ties and friendship between the UK and Europe, advocating for youth mobility and better trading relationship.

She is also on the board of Best for Britain’s Trade and Business commission, a group working to strengthen trade of between the UK and the EU.

As Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State she has responsibility for Overseas Territories, Caribbean , global tech and AI , violence against  women and girls, and departmental operations.