The British Virgin Islands Hong Kong Representative Office, led by Associate Director Siobhan M. Flax and accompanied by Political Economy Officers Ronn A. Grant and Kyla K. Forbes, met with Caribbean Community ambassadors in the Republic of China (Taiwan) on April 1 to present updates on education, regional integration and financial services.

The delegation addressed a meeting of CARICOM ambassadors, where Ms. Flax delivered remarks on behalf of Natalio D. Wheatley and the Government of the Virgin Islands, outlining developments in the BVI Asia Abroad Scholarship Programme, the territory’s pursuit of full CARICOM and Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States membership, and updates within the financial services sector.

The delegation was received by Robert K. Lewis, Ambassador of Saint Lucia and Dean of the Diplomatic Corps in Taiwan. Other attendees included Katherine Meighan, Donya Francis, Kenton Chance and a minister counsellor from the Embassy of Haiti.

The meeting was followed by discussions with ambassadors and staff, which officials said provided an opportunity to expand engagement between the Virgin Islands and Caribbean representatives in the Asia-Pacific region.

Ms. Flax said the territory remains committed to collaboration within the Caribbean community abroad. “Together, we can amplify our presence, strengthen our connections and create meaningful opportunities for our people across the region,” she said.

As part of the visit, the delegation also conducted outreach to academic institutions, including Taipei Medical University, the University of Taiwan and National Sun Yat-sen University, in connection with the BVI Asia Abroad Scholarship Programme.

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.