One month after his meeting with President Javier Milei, the British Foreign Minister
, David Cameron, arrived in the Malvinas Islands
and maintained contacts with the islanders.
The visit is the first by a British cabinet minister to the archipelago since 2016 and comes after the national government renewed its call to the United Kingdom to discuss the future of the islands.
According to a statement from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and from Cameron himself, the visit has multiple objectives, including meeting with the inhabitants of the Falkland Islands to learn more about their efforts to build a prosperous community and protect the natural environment.
There it
will seek to reaffirm the United Kingdom's commitment to the
islanders' right to self-determination, a principle that was reflected in the 2013 referendum, where they voted in favor of maintaining their status as an autonomous overseas territory of the United Kingdom.
Foreign Secretary @David_Cameron is visiting Falkland Islanders to see their work to build a thriving community and protect their natural environment.
The UK is committed to upholding the Falkland Islanders' right of self-determination.
pic.twitter.com/sFQLgRJgT9
— Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (@FCDOGovUK) February 19, 2024
"The Falkland Islands
are a valued part of the British family
and we are clear that as long as they wish to remain part of the family, the question of sovereignty will not be a topic of discussion," Cameron said.
During his stay, the minister plans a tribute to British personnel who served and those who lost their lives in the 1982 conflict, as well as thanking UK military personnel currently on the islands.
Cameron is also expected to visit projects related to environmental conservation and observe first-hand some of the millions of penguins that inhabit the territory.
Cameron's agenda after the Falklands
includes visits to Paraguay
and then he will participate in the G20 Foreign Ministers' meeting in Brazil.
Finally, Cameron will head to New York for the United Nations Assembly.