Fraser Defends Travel, Eyes Cop30 Launch
Deputy Premier Hon Fraser told a Diplomacy Week panel that the benefits of official travel are only realised by going abroad, urging officials to use trips to make contacts. Fraser, who oversees Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change, will attend COP30 in Belém where the Virgin Islands Climate Change Trust Fund will be officially launched.
Deputy Premier Hon Fraser said the value of official travel can only be understood by taking part in it, making his remarks during a panel discussion held on October 22, 2025, as part of Diplomacy Week. The discussion, themed "Our Place in the World: The Evolving Diplomacy of Overseas Territories," featured Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Hon Natalio D.
Wheatley and Premier of Anguilla Hon Cora Richardson-Hodge as panellists. Fraser pushed back against local criticism of overseas trips and encouraged officials to maximise the opportunities travel creates. "They make fun of us in the House of Assembly when we travel, and you don't know the benefits of travelling if you don't travel," Hon Fraser said.
He praised the Premier for defending government members against such criticism and added: "The things that you accomplish on a trip, you can't do it anywhere else, and that's what happens." Fraser urged panellists and other officials to "make that contact" whenever given the chance: "Travel and meet the right people, and get the work done." His comments reflect a broader argument that face-to-face diplomacy, meetings and networking at international events can unlock funding, partnerships and technical support that are difficult to secure remotely.
Fraser, who holds the Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change portfolio, will attend the 30th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP30) in Belém, Brazil, from November 10 to 21, 2025. The conference is the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change's annual gathering where governments negotiate climate action and countries and territories seek international support.
A key item for the British Virgin Islands at COP30 will be the official launch of the Virgin Islands Climate Change Trust Fund. The fund was established under the Virgin Islands Climate Change Trust Fund Act of 2015 but is only now being operationalised. Its stated purpose is to mobilise international climate finance from bilateral programmes, independent donors, charities and philanthropists to support adaptation and resilience projects in the Territory.
For BVI residents, the Trust Fund could mean more resources for coastal protection, flood mitigation, water security and community resilience projects as the Territory responds to more frequent and severe storms and rising sea levels. Fraser's attendance at COP30 signals the government's intent to place the BVI on the global stage as it seeks finance and technical partnerships to address climate risks.
The panel on Diplomacy Week underscored the government's view that proactive international engagement is essential for small island territories seeking support and solutions to shared challenges such as climate change and sustainable development.
Primary source: VINO