‘Covid adds to need to work with France’

Political representatives from Guernsey and Jersey attended, in virtual fashion, the annual political summit with the departmental council of Ille-et-Vilaine in Brittany to review ways in which the three jurisdictions have been working together through education and youth mobility, culture and arts, transport and trade.

The meetings take place through a co-operation agreement signed in 2017 and renewed for a further three years in 2020.

Ille-et-Vilaine was represented by its president, Jean Luc Chenut, Jersey by its chief minister, John Le Fondre, and minister for External Relations, Senator Ian Gorst, and Guernsey by Policy & Resources member Jonathan Le Tocq.

Deputy Le Tocq said the meeting provided an opportunity to discuss the island’s regional relationship in the context of Brexit and the commitment to the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement following the end of the transition period.

‘The past year has been difficult for all our jurisdictions as we have worked hard to respond to the impact of Covid-19, but it has reinforced the importance of working with our closest neighbours and strengthening the relationships that we have,’ he said.

‘As we move towards a gradual reopening of our borders in Guernsey and a wider reconnection set out in the Bailiwick Blueprint, I look forward to the further development of projects under this cooperation agreement that will benefit all of us.’

While Guernsey joined the partnership officially only in 2017, Jersey has been working jointly with Ille-et-Vilaine for 16 years.

Senator Le Fondre said despite challenges ahead, he was confident that the well-established economic, social and cultural relationships would continue to be valuable.

Due to the pandemic, it was the second consecutive year the meeting has taken place by video conference.

President Chenut stated that it had however in no way diminished the strong relationship the region had with the Channel Islands.