Premier Hon. Dr. Natalio D. Wheatley said stronger collaboration among Overseas Territories is essential to addressing shared legal and governance challenges, as he opened the Overseas Territories Attorneys General Conference in the Virgin Islands.

The two-day conference, which began on Tuesday, April 14, brings together Madam Chair, attorneys general and delegates from across the Overseas Territories to examine issues including human rights, transnational crime, illicit finance and sanctions, disaster preparedness and recovery, maritime boundaries, sustainable development and the use of technology in crime and justice systems.

“These are not theoretical concerns,” Premier Wheatley said. “They are real, urgent matters that affect the stability, security, and prosperity of each of our jurisdictions.”

The premier said the conference’s theme, “Stronger Together: Common Challenges, Collaborative Solutions,” reflects the need for coordinated responses to issues that extend across jurisdictions while recognizing differences in legal and constitutional systems.

“While our challenges may be similar and our objectives aligned, our contexts are not identical,” he said. “One-size-fits-all responses rarely succeed. What does succeed is the willingness to learn from one another.”

He said the exchange of experience and expertise among territories can improve legal systems and strengthen collective resilience.

“When we collaborate, we elevate the quality of our legal systems. When we share best practices, we strengthen our collective resilience,” Premier Wheatley said.

The conference will focus on strengthening cooperation and developing practical approaches to common legal and governance issues across participating territories.

The United Nations General Assembly on March 25 voted 123 to 3 to adopt a resolution declaring the transatlantic enslavement of Africans the “gravest crime against humanity,” a measure strongly backed by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and African states, with the United States, Israel and Argentina voting against it.

The resolution, introduced by Ghana with support from CARICOM nations, calls for reparatory justice measures, including formal apologies, the return of cultural artifacts and further discussion on compensation for the descendants of enslaved Africans. Caribbean governments have long advocated for international recognition of the enduring social and economic consequences of slavery, framing the issue as central to regional development.

Several European countries, including the United Kingdom, along with members of the European Union, abstained during the vote, citing concerns about potential legal implications and language that could be interpreted as assigning hierarchy among historical atrocities.

While the resolution is nonbinding, Caribbean leaders and regional organizations have described the outcome as a significant step in advancing global acknowledgment of slavery’s impact and strengthening ongoing calls for reparatory justice. CARICOM has been at the forefront of these efforts through its Reparations Commission, which has outlined a framework seeking redress from former colonial powers.

The United States, which opposed the resolution, raised concerns about applying contemporary legal standards to historical actions and cautioned against measures that could create divisions in the interpretation of crimes against humanity.

The vote coincided with the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade, underscoring longstanding advocacy by Caribbean and African nations to place the legacy of slavery at the center of international discourse on justice and development.