Guernsey hosts summit with Ille et Vilaine

Wednesday 04 July 2018

The President of Ille et Vilaine, which is a 'department' in Brittany has been in Guernsey for an annual political summit between Guernsey, Jersey and France.

Hosted by Deputy Jonathan Le Tocq, Jersey's Chief Minister John Le Fondré and External Relations Minister Senator Ian Gorst also attended to discuss progress on the cooperation agreement first agreed by the three jurisdictions in 2017.

The second annual political summit looked at areas of joint working between the islands and France that form part of the cooperation agreement signed by the three jurisdictions last year.

Guernsey also signed a framework agreement with the departmental council of Ille et Vilaine to collaborate on overseas aid projects under the mandate of the Overseas Aid & Development Commission.

The departmental council of Ille et Vilaine was represented at the summit by their President, Jean Luc Chenut. Jersey was represented by Chief Minister John Le Fondré and External Relations Minister Senator Ian Gorst and the summit was hosted by Deputy Jonathan Le Tocq, member of the Policy & Resources Committee with responsibility for external relations.

Mr Chenut said: "Since last year we did commit to involve Guernsey into our corporation and it went really well today there are a number of sectors where we can work together and I truly believe that we can work better together. I think that in terms of education and youth international mobility for students, school exchanges its something that we have been working very closely on for a number of years but meetings like this can improve relationships. With Guernsey this year we aim to work together more on overseas aid and we will be selecting a number of charities that we can support together."

Pictured: Jean Luc Chenut

Senator Gorst said: "Its the second annual seminar with Guernsey, Jersey and Ille et Vilaine, it has gone very well and we have really used it as an update on where we are with various projects and also thinking about how we can build on them and extend them. We have been talking today about some of the youth projects the French region have been using and how they have used Jersey in the first instance as a platform for sending more vulnerable children to get broader experience, experience of travelling and speaking English, so a really exciting project that ultimately if we are going to strengthen our links with France, which we want to do through this Brexit period and beyond, its with our young people which will deliver most success."

"I think it is really important for the Channel Islands together to rebuild and strengthen our historic links with France and although we have been doing that with Normandy and trying to in Paris for many many years our relationship with Brittany and Ille et Vilaine is newer but just as fruitful and just as important to the future."

Pictured: Senator Ian Gorst 

Deputy Le Tocq who hosted the meeting said that it had gone very well: "It was a privilege to host the meeting today. Guernsey is fairly new to this partnership we only joined last year and we are pleased to be part of it as it mirrors what we are doing with Normandy but also we have our main transport links through St Malo and Dinard and that is in Ille et Vilaine department so that alone means we need to talk more." 

Pictured: Deputy Jonathan Le Tocq 

After the meetings with the three jurisdictions, representatives from Guernsey and France went to Candie Museum for a signing ceremony for the framework agreement for collaboration on overseas aid projectsin the Brian White Gallery, before the French contingent returned to the harbour for the journey home.

Pictured main image: Left to Right: Senator Ian Gorst, Jean Luc Chenut and Deputy Jonathan Le Tocq