Bases to be upgraded ‘significantly’, UK govt says

The British government is to invest significantly in the Sovereign Base Areas in Cyprus, and other Overseas Territories (OT) according to a 100-page strategy, Global Britain in a Competitive Age, released in the UK on Tuesday.

To support the OTs and Crown Dependencies in deterring and defending against state and non-state threats, the armed forces will continue to deter and challenge incursions in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters, the report said.

“Significant investment in the Sovereign Base Areas in Cyprus will assure our ability to contribute to security, with allies, in the Eastern Mediterranean,” it said.

The armed forces, the report said, would also maintain a permanent presence in the Falkland Islands, Ascension Island and the British Indian Ocean Territory; and a permanent maritime presence in the Atlantic and Caribbean, contributing to counter-trafficking operations and delivering humanitarian assistance and disaster relief during the annual hurricane season.

“To provide a more solid overseas foundation we will invest in the strategic hubs that give our forces reach, access, influence and insight. As well as investing in our facilities and infrastructure in Cyprus, Gibraltar and Germany, we will improve those in Oman, Singapore and Kenya,” it said, adding that it would also invest around £60 million in expanding and improving its global network of British Defence Staffs, increasing it by nearly a third.

The document, which is the product of over a year of work across government and of consultation with a wide range of external organisations and thinkers, sets out a vision for Global Britain. This includes an emphasis on “openness as a source of prosperity, a more robust position on security and resilience, a renewed commitment to the UK as a force for good in the world, and an increased determination to seek multilateral solutions to challenges like climate change.

“It also stresses the importance of deepening our relationships with allies and partners around the world, as well as moving more swiftly and with greater agility,” the UK government said.

The UK retained 99 square miles (254 square kilometres) of Cyprus’ territory following the island’s independence from colonial rule in 1960. Along with Greece and Turkey, Britain is also a guarantor power for the island’s constitution.