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  • Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Statement on the Situation in Ukraine (10/08/2022) – 168 days

    Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Statement on the Situation in Ukraine (10/08/2022) – 168 days

    The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 10 August 2022.

    Ukrainians!

    All our defenders!

    At the end of this difficult 168th day of our defense, a few things should be said.

    First. The Armed Forces of Ukraine, our intelligence and our law enforcement agencies will not leave today’s Russian shelling of the Dnipropetrovsk region unanswered. 13 people died as a result of the occupiers’ attack on Marhanets’. More than ten are wounded, five are in grave condition.

    Russian troops were striking with “Grads”. This regular manifestation of Russian terror, just as the attacks on Mykolaiv and Kharkiv, once again proves that it is necessary to increase military aid to Ukraine. The more powerful our weapons are and the greater the range of their use is, the sooner this cruel war will end.

    And that’s the second thing I wanted to say today. This is a question that worries absolutely everyone: when will the war end? Someone says – months, someone – a year, someone – even more. But the question of time actually directly depends on the question of the losses that Russia will suffer. The more losses the occupiers suffer, the sooner we will be able to liberate our land and guarantee Ukraine’s security. This is what everyone who defends our state and helps Ukraine should think about: how to inflict the greatest possible losses on the occupiers so that the time of the war gets shorter.

    If almost 43,000 dead Russian soldiers do not convince the Russian leadership that they need to find a way out of the war, then more fighting is needed, more results are needed to convince.

    In just one day, the occupiers lost ten combat aircraft: nine in Crimea and one more in the direction of Zaporizhzhia. The occupiers also suffer new losses of armored vehicles, warehouses with ammunition, logistics routes…

    A conference at the level of defense ministers of Ukraine’s partner states begins tomorrow in Copenhagen. Further support for our state in this war, including weapons, will be discussed. I am grateful to all our partners who understand that only by ensuring Russia’s defeat on the battlefield, only by Russian losses – military, political, economic – can the return of security for Ukraine and the whole of Europe be brought closer. The more weapons, the more military-technical and financial support Ukraine receives, the sooner our people and all Europeans will be able to experience peace and stability in life again.

    And the third thing. I want to say it right now to the residents of the temporarily occupied territory. No matter what the occupiers promise, their only way is to escape. At best. If they make it in time.

    We expelled the Russian army from the northern regions. We expelled the invaders from our Zmiinyi Island. They already feel that the time has come to flee from Kherson and from the south of our country in general. The time will come when they will flee from the Kharkiv region, from Donbas, from Crimea… And everyone who can help in this, should do so.

    If you have any important information about the enemy, please report it in a safe way to our intelligence services, our military. If you know those who help the occupiers or justify aggression, please report this as well.

    Be sure to help our people in the occupied territory who are left alone or without communication. Talk to them, support them, tell them about our struggle and about the possibilities of evacuating to a free territory. The invaders are using our people to cover their attacks as human shields. Ukraine will return everything of its own, and must save as many lives as possible.

    I held several important meetings today, in particular, regarding the program for the fast recovery of liberated territories.

    I continue to establish new ties at the highest level with African countries – today I spoke with the President of the Republic of Ghana. Yesterday – with the President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Food security, cooperation in international organizations, economic ties are a range of issues that benefit both our state and African countries.

    In the evening, I signed another decree awarding our defenders. 244 combatants were awarded state awards, 21 of them posthumously.

    Ukrainians should always remember that every step of our army in this war was made in cruel and difficult battles. The occupiers have not captured anything without the resistance of our heroes since February 24 and will not be able to keep anything. We will liberate everything.

    Eternal glory to everyone who fights for our country!

    Eternal memory to all those who gave their lives for Ukraine!

    Glory to Ukraine!

  • Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Statement on the Situation in Ukraine (09/08/2022) – 167 days

    Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Statement on the Situation in Ukraine (09/08/2022) – 167 days

    The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 9 August 2022.

    Good health to you, fellow Ukrainians!

    Today, there is a lot of attention to the topic of Crimea. And rightly so. Because Crimea is Ukrainian, and we will never give it up.

    We will not forget that the Russian war against Ukraine began with the occupation of Crimea.

    Russia has turned our peninsula, which has always been and will be one of the best places in Europe, into one of the most dangerous places in Europe. Russia brought large-scale repression, environmental problems, economic hopelessness and war to Crimea. War.

    Perhaps historians will one day determine how many people were killed as a result of Russia’s use of Crimea for terror. Tens of thousands? Hundreds of thousands? From Ukraine and Georgia to Syria and more remote regions.

    The presence of Russian occupiers in Crimea is a threat to the entire Europe and to global stability. The Black Sea region cannot be safe as long as Crimea is occupied. There will be no stable and lasting peace in many countries on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea as long as Russia is able to use our peninsula as its military base.

    This Russian war against Ukraine and against the entire free Europe began with Crimea and must end with Crimea – with its liberation. Today it is impossible to say when this will happen. But we are constantly adding the necessary components to the formula of liberation of Crimea.

    We launched the Crimea Platform – a key diplomatic platform for the work on the liberation of Crimea. The Crimea Platform will work this year as well. We are already preparing for this summit.

    The Crimean topic sounds on all international platforms where the Russian war against our state is discussed. The history of the global response to Russia’s seizure of Crimea, or rather the lack of such a response, is now one of the best arguments for strengthening sanctions against Russia. The world is beginning to recognize that it made a mistake in 2014 when it decided not to respond with full force to Russia’s first aggressive steps.

    And, of course, we pay due attention to the struggle for rights and historical justice for the indigenous peoples of Ukraine – the Crimean Tatar people, Karaites and Krymchaks. Today, on the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, we really have something to say.

    Last summer, the fundamental law on indigenous peoples of Ukraine was adopted. This law recognizes the rights of indigenous peoples and representative bodies of indigenous peoples.

    Ukraine is a multinational state. Various national communities have been living on our land for centuries. But most of them have experience of state formation outside of Ukraine. Our state is native to peoples whose national cultures and aspirations were formed in Crimea. Therefore, when we are working for the liberation of the peninsula, we are fighting for the restoration of the territorial integrity of our state and for the return of home to the indigenous peoples of Ukraine. I believe that it will be so. I know that we will return to the Ukrainian Crimea. And I am grateful to all our partners and international organizations that help us in this.

    It is too early to disclose all the details, but this year the work of the Crimea Platform will be no less important and representative than last year, when its first summit was held in Kyiv. The format will be different, but the value will be even greater.

    We are preparing new solutions for the protection and assistance in the realization of the rights of the indigenous peoples of Ukraine. We are also preparing programs for the economic recovery of our Crimea after its liberation from the occupiers.

    Well, the main thing is to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine, our intelligence and everyone who is fighting to liberate our land and repel the Russian colonial invasion.

    From the Kharkiv region to Kherson, from Donetsk to Enerhodar, from Stanytsia Luhanska to Yalta, from Berdyansk to Novofedorivka – these are all parts of our country, this is Ukraine, which will be completely free.

    Today I signed a new decree on awarding our defenders. 182 combatants were awarded state awards. The total number of awarded Ukrainian warriors has already exceeded 26,000 since February 24.

    I thank everyone who defends Ukraine!

    Eternal glory to all who fight for freedom!

    Glory to Ukraine!

  • Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Statement on the Situation in Ukraine (08/08/2022) – 166 days

    Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Statement on the Situation in Ukraine (08/08/2022) – 166 days

    The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 8 August 2022.

    Ukrainians!

    These days, people remember the Russian war against Georgia in 2008. There are many talks about the prerequisites of that war, about its consequences. About how that year’s refusal to provide Ukraine and Georgia with a NATO Membership Action Plan increased the audacity of the Russian leadership. But still, the war of that time has not yet become history, has not completely receded into the past. Therefore, it is necessary to talk more about what can be done than about what happened.

    The challenges of that time are still very relevant today. And not only because the threat of further Russian aggression in this part of the Caucasus still exists, even though it is frozen. Only now has the world begun to realize the need for real, effective tools to prevent such aggressions and to bring any aggressors to justice.

    2008, 2014, 2022 – the wars that started in these years have a different scale and nature, but there is one meaning of what happened: regional and global security mechanisms did not work.

    That is why the principle of prevention, which we have been insisting on for a very long time even before February 24, is so necessary in international relations. If it is already clear that a state is preparing aggression – unjust, unprovoked, illegal, then the world’s reaction to its preparation should be the same as to the aggression that happened. It is necessary to act to prevent war, not to wait for strikes and victims.

    After this Russian war against Ukraine, neither smoldering nor frozen conflict should remain. This is an important conclusion. Ukraine must return everything that Russia temporarily seized, and the aggressor state must be punished for the crime of aggression. And this is important not only for justice.

    Only the obvious defeat of the aggressor, their loss of everything captured and their international legal responsibility for aggression are safeguards against any war.

    This is what our diplomats, the Office, government officials and absolutely everyone involved in organizing a global political, economic and legal response to Russian aggression are working on. By protecting our state, we automatically protect everyone who has already been threatened or may still be threatened by a terrorist state.

    And, of course, the greatest contribution is now made by the military – all Ukrainian heroes who are breaking the Russian terrorist machine on the battlefield.

    Today I especially want to thank the Ukrainian anti-aircraft fighters of the Air Command “Center” and Air Command “South” for the successful destruction of Russian missiles that were launched from the Black Sea in the morning. The four downed Kalibrs are dozens of Ukrainian lives saved. Our military also managed to shoot down some of the missiles that Russian terrorists launched at Ukraine in the afternoon and in the evening.

    Yes, our military means are still not enough to guarantee the downing of all Russian missiles. And we will do everything to ensure that such means appear in our country. But even now, the skill of our heroes makes it possible, at least partially, to reduce the Russian terrorist threat. I am grateful to everyone who ensures that!

    We are actively informing the world about Russian nuclear blackmail – about shelling and mining of the Zaporizhzhia NPP facilities. There are already appropriate reactions from the international community. But it is necessary to speed up actions in response. Russia will not pay attention to words and concerns. New sanctions are needed against the terrorist state and the entire Russian nuclear industry for creating the threat of a nuclear disaster. The world should not forget about Chornobyl and remember that the Zaporizhzhia NPP is the largest in Europe. The Chornobyl disaster is an explosion in one reactor, the Zaporizhzhia NPP is six power units.

    I held negotiations with the President of Botswana – the first in the history of our bilateral relations. We discussed cooperation within the UN and other international organizations. I expressed gratitude for the condemnation of Russian aggression and assured Mr. President that Ukraine is ready to continue being the guarantor of world food security.

    Implementation of the grain export initiative continues – today, for the first time since February 24, a loaded ship left the Pivdennyi port. Currently, there is every chance to ensure the rhythmic nature of such exports. However, as in previous days, the key thing is the ability of the partners to prevent any attempts by Russia to disrupt exports and exacerbate the global food crisis again.

    And I want to remind all our agrarians, all workers of our ports, all those involved in related industries and all those who comment on this that sea export was restored primarily thanks to our warriors who protected the relevant water area: our intelligence, our special operations forces and “Alpha” of the Security Service of Ukraine, gunners, the Navy, the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, border guards and our entire heroic army that defends the state.

    A new package of American support for Ukraine in the amount of one billion dollars was announced today. These are, in particular, rockets for HIMARS, ammunition for artillery and many other really useful things. I am grateful to President Biden and the people of the United States for this support, 100% of which is used to protect freedom, our common freedom.

    I signed a new decree on awarding combatants. 183 of our defenders were awarded state awards, four of them posthumously.

    Eternal memory to all those who gave their lives for Ukraine!

    Gratitude to everyone who fights for the country!

    Glory to Ukraine!

  • Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Statement on the Situation in Ukraine (07/08/2022) – 165 days

    Volodymyr Zelenskyy – 2022 Statement on the Situation in Ukraine (07/08/2022) – 165 days

    The statement made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 7 August 2022.

    Good health to you, fellow Ukrainians!

    Today is the Day of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and now I want to once again congratulate all military pilots and also all defenders of our skies on a professional holiday.

    We are all proud of you and wish you so many victories that the Russian soldiers are simply afraid of even the very thought of our Ukrainian sky.

    This morning, I congratulated the fighters and commanders of the Air Force, handed out state awards to the best warriors.

    I handed over the “Golden Star” orders to the wives of the fallen Heroes of Ukraine – Lieutenant colonel Eduard Vahorovsky and Major Dmytro Kolomiyets. They gave their lives saving their brothers and protecting our state. Eternal memory and gratitude to the Heroes!

    I spoke today with President of the European Council Charles Michel. I informed him about the situation on the battlefield, about the threat that Russia created by striking at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. There is no such nation in the world that can feel safe when a terrorist state fires at a nuclear plant. God forbid, if something irreparable happens, no one will stop the wind that will spread the radioactive contamination. Therefore, a principled response of the international community to these Russian attacks on the Zaporizhzhia NPP – the largest in Europe – is needed right now.

    The situation in Donbas remains very difficult. Our army is doing everything possible to stop the Russian terror and inflict the greatest possible losses on the occupiers. Avdiivka, Pisky, Maryinka, Bakhmut and other hot areas in the Donetsk region take the main efforts and, unfortunately, many lives.

    It is also difficult in the Kharkiv region, in the south of our country, where the occupiers are trying to concentrate their forces.

    The key thing now, just as before, is weapons for our defense, weapons from partners. Every day without any pauses, we work to increase the supply of weapons, to send more powerful and long-range systems to the front.

    And next week we expect news from partners regarding support packages. Good news.

    In this summer time, every week there are more and more reports that the occupiers are preparing for pseudo-referendums in the occupied areas of the south of our country. I want to say a very simple thing: everyone who helps the occupiers in any way realize their intention will be held accountable. They will bear responsibility to Ukraine.

    The position of our state remains the same: we will not give up anything of ours, and if the occupiers follow the path of these pseudo-referendums, they will close for themselves any possibility of negotiations with Ukraine and the free world, which the Russian side will definitely need in a certain moment.

    Next week, I will continue the practice of political appeals to representatives of partner states and nations who defend freedom together with us. A number of important negotiations are also planned – and not only with current politicians.

    As before, Ukraine will do everything to make our struggle and Ukrainian needs known in all countries of the world and in all audiences – even those who usually do not follow political life.

    In particular, American actress Jessica Chastain arrived in Kyiv today. She visited “Okhmatdyt” and saw with her own eyes the consequences of the Russian occupation in Irpin, Kyiv region.

    Her story about our war will definitely be heard. We are preparing an important humanitarian event.

    And I am grateful to all friends of Ukraine abroad and to everyone who helps expand our ties in the world.

    We are doing everything to win, everything to protect our country.

    I wish all of us Ukrainians a fruitful new week!

    Glory to our warriors!

    Glory to Ukraine!

  • PRESS RELEASE : UK to give more multiple launch rocket systems and guided missiles to Ukraine

    PRESS RELEASE : UK to give more multiple launch rocket systems and guided missiles to Ukraine

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 11 August 2022.

    The UK will send further multiple-launch rocket systems (MLRS) to Ukraine as part of an enduring commitment to help the country defend itself against Russia’s illegal invasion, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has announced.

    Britain will also give a significant number of precision guided M31A1 missiles which can strike targets up to 80km away, enabling Ukraine to continue to defend itself against Russian heavy artillery.

    The decision comes following the successful use of multiple-launch rocket systems by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, gifted by the UK earlier this year.

    Defence Secretary Ben Wallace MP said:

    “This latest tranche of military support will enable the Armed Forces of Ukraine to continue to defend against Russian aggression and the indiscriminate use of long-range artillery.

    Our continued support sends a very clear message, Britain and the international community remain opposed to this illegal war and will stand shoulder-to-shoulder, providing defensive military aid to Ukraine to help them defend against Putin’s invasion.”

    Ukrainian troops have been trained in the UK on how to use the launchers so that they can maximise the effectiveness of the systems. This is in addition to the UK’s commitment to train up to 10,000 Ukrainian soldiers in infantry battlefield skills over the coming months. Canada, Denmark, Sweden, Finland and the Netherlands have all announced they will be supporting the programme.

    Building on this effort, the Defence Secretary will co-host the Copenhagen Conference for Northern European Defence Allies of Ukraine on Thursday 11 August, to discuss further, long-term support for Ukraine on training, equipment, and funding.

    Recognising the relentless courage and determination of the Ukrainian people, the UK and its allies will begin to establish a plan of action to support Ukraine into 2023 and beyond for as long as necessary, as they continue to fight for their freedom and sovereignty.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Scottish Secretary reflects on stellar Commonwealth Games for Team Scotland

    PRESS RELEASE : Scottish Secretary reflects on stellar Commonwealth Games for Team Scotland

    The press release issued by the Scottish Office on 11 August 2022.

    Scottish Secretary Alister Jack visited the Birmingham Commonwealth Games last week [Thursday 4 August], where he enjoyed watching Team Scotland in action and seeing the event build on the legacy of Glasgow 2014.

    His day at the games involved cheering on Team Scotland in the boxing and badminton tournaments, before meeting opening ceremony flag bearer and badminton star Kirsty Gilmour.

    He then paid a visit to Scotland House, the home away from home for Team Scotland’s athletes during the games, where he enjoyed hearing more about legacy projects and community outreach initiatives the Commonwealth Games encourage.

    As the games drew to a close on Monday [8 August], Team Scotland had tallied up 51 medals, including 13 golds, making it their most successful games ever outside Scotland.

    Speaking before the closing ceremony, the Scottish Secretary said:

    “From Eilish McColgan following in her mother’s footsteps, to George Miller and Rosemary Lenton becoming our oldest ever gold medallists, the Birmingham Commonwealth Games have kept us thrilled and inspired in equal measure.

    I was lucky enough to see some of the action live last week, where cheering on Team Scotland was a highlight of my summer. With a total of 51 medals, including 13 golds, the games have undoubtedly been a roaring success for the team.

    My warmest congratulations go to all the athletes who took part, and to Birmingham for putting on such a fantastic show.”

  • PRESS RELEASE : Scottish apprentices celebrated for support to UK armed forces

    PRESS RELEASE : Scottish apprentices celebrated for support to UK armed forces

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 11 August 2022.

    The important role apprentices play in driving innovation and keeping the UK safe was recognised during a Ministerial visit to key defence sites in Scotland this week.

    Visiting Defence Munitions (DM) in Beith – a Defence Equipment & Support facility which employs around 250 people and can produce, test and store weapons for the UK’s Armed Forces – Minister for Defence Procurement, Jeremy Quin saw the contribution the site is making to current and ongoing operations in Europe and further afield.

    DM Beith boasts a sought-after apprenticeship programme, with the latest intake of six apprentices officially starting later this month. The outgoing apprentices had their contributions to UK Defence recognised through an end of apprenticeship ceremony.

    During Minister Quin’s visit, he handed over the Deeds for the dozen apprentices who have completed training over the previous two years and who have all been offered permanent roles at the facility.

    The Minister also awarded the company’s Apprentice of the Year award to Calvin, who will now be taking up a technical role within the DM Beith Operations Team.

    Defence Procurement Minister Jeremy Quin said:

    “It is always a pleasure to meet apprentices across the country to discuss their exciting and educational journey in Defence and this week to congratulate those who have finished their formal apprenticeships.

    We’re pleased to provide these opportunities for technical training and to offer challenging and varied ongoing career opportunities in Ayrshire, whilst investing in the prosperity of the area.”

    Head of Weapons Support at Defence Equipment & Support, Neil Rixon said:

    “I was delighted to congratulate our apprentices who have completed their placements and to welcome the next tranche. I’m very proud that our Weapons apprenticeship programme enables us to invest in developing crucial mechanical and electrical engineering skills. The work undertaken at Beith is absolutely critical to our armed forces, and the skills our apprentices are learning are invaluable to Defence Equipment & Support.”

    During the tour of DM Beith, Minister Quin was shown the in-house complex weapons processing, engineering, storage and deployment capabilities.

    As part of his two-day visit to Scotland, the Minister also visited the British Underwater Test and Evaluation Centre (BUTEC) at Applecross, on the north-west coast which tests underwater weapons. He then travelled to the MOD Hebrides range, run by Qinetiq for the MOD, where ground-based air defence weapons are tested and complex weapons trials are run.

  • PRESS RELEASE : New maritime security strategy to target latest physical and cyber threats

    PRESS RELEASE : New maritime security strategy to target latest physical and cyber threats

    The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 15 August 2022.

    The UK’s position as a world-leading maritime nation is secured by a new strategy that will enhance capabilities in technology, innovation and cyber security.

    Unveiling the 5-year strategy, the Secretary of State for Transport has today (Monday 15 August 2022) set out the guiding principles for the UK government’s approach to managing threats and risks at home and around the world, including leveraging the UK’s world-leading seabed mapping community and tackling illegal fishing and polluting activities at sea.

    The new strategy redefines maritime security as upholding laws, regulations and norms to deliver a free, fair and open maritime domain. With this new approach, the government rightly recognises any illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and environmental damage to our seas as a maritime security concern.

    In addition, to enhance the UK’s maritime security knowledge, the government has established the UK Centre for Seabed Mapping (UK CSM), which seeks to enable the UK’s world-leading seabed mapping sector to collaborate to collect more and better data.

    Seabed mapping provides the foundation dataset that underpins almost every sector in the maritime domain, including maritime trade, environmental and resource management, shipping operations and national security and infrastructure within the industry.

    The UK CSM has also been registered as a UK government voluntary commitment to the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.

    By working with the newly established UK CSM, administered by the UK Hydrographic Office, government will have better quantity, quality and availability of seabed mapping data, which as a key component of our infrastructure, underpins the UK’s maritime security, prosperity and environment objectives.

    Secretary of State for Transport Grant Shapps said:

    “Mankind has better maps of the surface of the moon and Mars than of our own ocean. To ensure the UK’s maritime security is based on informed and evidence-based decisions, we must build our knowledge of this dynamic ocean frontier.

    Our new maritime security strategy paves the way for both government and industry to provide the support needed to tackle new and emerging threats and further cement the UK’s position as a world leader in maritime security.”

    Working with industry and academia, Secretaries of State from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the Department for Transport (DfT), the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), the Home Office and the Ministry of Defence (MOD) will focus on 5 strategic objectives:

    Protecting our homeland: delivering the world’s most effective maritime security framework for our borders, ports and infrastructure.

    Responding to threats: taking a whole system approach to bring world-leading capabilities and expertise to bear to respond to new, emerging threats.

    Ensuring prosperity: ensuring the security of international shipping, the unimpeded transmission of goods, information and energy to support continued global development and our economic prosperity.

    Championing values: championing global maritime security underpinned by freedom of navigation and the international order.

    Supporting a secure, resilient ocean: tackling security threats and breaches of regulations that impact on a clean, healthy, safe, productive and biologically-diverse maritime environment.

    UK Chamber of Shipping CEO, Sarah Treseder said:

    “A proactive maritime security strategy is essential to keeping trade routes and energy supplies secure, especially for an island nation. Today’s welcome commitments to improve collaboration, both with industry and governments across the world, will help deliver a more secure maritime environment and help provide confidence to the shipping community.”

    Tim Edmunds, co-Director of the SafeSeas Network and Professor of International Security at the University of Bristol said:

    “The new national strategy for maritime security (NSMS) comes at a critical time for the UK maritime sector. Maritime security is key to delivering the UK’s ambitions in foreign, security and defence policy, as well as for blue economic growth and environmental sustainability.

    SafeSeas and the University of Bristol were privileged to be part of this effort. We are delighted that our research was able to inform the strategy process. We look forward to engaging with UK maritime security actors and assisting with the strategy implementation process in future.”

    Mark Simmonds, Director of Policy and External Affairs, British Ports Association said:

    “UK ports work closely with government and law enforcement to facilitate nearly half a billion tonnes of trade and tens of millions of passengers every year, whilst at the same time bearing down on threats to our collective safety and security. We look forward to strengthening that relationship as we help to deliver on these strategic objectives.

    The new Centre for Seabed Mapping is a huge step forward for the maritime sector. It will help everyone better understand the UK seabed and be the foundation for numerous benefits, including more informed management of the marine environment.”

    The UK will continue to engage heavily with industry, academia, international partners and allies in the delivery of this outward-focussed strategy through increased information sharing partnerships, to increase visibility of threats to the global maritime domain.

  • PRESS RELEASE : PM call with His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan, President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi: 11 August 2022

    PRESS RELEASE : PM call with His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan, President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi: 11 August 2022

    The press release issued by Downing Street on 11 August 2022.

    The Prime Minister spoke to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan, President of the UAE and Ruler of Abu Dhabi, today.

    The leaders thanked one another for their support and friendship. They agreed that great strides have been made in the UK-UAE relationship in recent years.

    The Prime Minister praised the President of UAE success in bringing prosperity to both the UAE and the Gulf more generally. The President paid tribute to the role the Prime Minister has played in driving trade and investment between our countries.

    The Prime Minister said UK-UAE cooperation on global priorities including Ukraine, regional stability and climate change is hugely important for the world. He expressed his confidence that this cooperation will continue in the years ahead.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Views being sought to tackle inequality in medical devices

    PRESS RELEASE : Views being sought to tackle inequality in medical devices

    The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 11 August 2022.

    The government has launched a call for evidence to gather insights from experts and organisations on the potential racial and gender bias of medical devices.

    As part of an Independent Review on Equity in Medical Devices led by Professor Dame Margaret Whitehead, the government is seeking to tackle disparities in healthcare by gathering new evidence on how medical devices and technologies may be biased against patients of different ethnicities, genders and other socio-demographic groups.

    Through the call for evidence, which will be open for 8 weeks, it hopes to hear from those who work most closely with medical devices such as oxygen measuring devices and infrared scanners and related software and hardware, including databases and instructions. This applies across a device’s entire life cycle – from evaluation to marketing and implementation – to identify potential biases at each and every stage.

    For example, some devices employing infrared light or imaging may not perform as well with patients with darker skin pigmentation, which has not been accounted for in the development and testing of the devices, and has led to patients being recruited with only a limited range of lighter skin tones.

    The independent review, which the call for evidence will feed into, aims to reduce the potential for medical devices to worsen existing healthcare disparities, ensuring people can receive the best-possible care throughout their patient experience regardless of their ethnicity or gender.

    Health Minister Gillian Keegan said:

    “I am committed to ensuring all patients receive high-quality, innovative healthcare without discrimination.

    The independent review is part of our vital work to tackle healthcare inequalities, and I invite the industry to share their expertise in the call for evidence so we can ensure medical devices are free of any form of bias.”

    Members of expert and professional groups and organisations, including academics, researchers, engineers, healthcare professionals and industry representatives, are invited to submit evidence and insights regarding potential disparities and proposed solutions, with this evidence informing the independent review.

    Members of the public, patients and carers can also contribute their views and insights on these topics.

    Research suggests the way some medical devices are designed and used may be failing to account for differences related to ethnic background, gender or other characteristics such as disabilities – potentially exacerbating existing inequalities in healthcare.

    While current UK regulations set out clear expectations on medical devices and technologies, they do not currently include provisions to ensure that medical devices are working equally well for different groups in the population based on their social or demographic characteristics.

    The independent review will cover different types of medical devices, including devices enabled by artificial intelligence (AI) used in diagnosing illness and determining therapy pathways, as well as risk-scoring systems using genomics to make decisions about personalised medicine.

    It will consider in what ways existing or future regulations could successfully address any biases in medical devices that arise at any stage of their design, development, evaluation, implementation and use.

    Patients can be reassured that the NHS is expert in providing the best possible care, and the review is intended to accelerate the process of improving the quality and availability of medical devices to diverse communities.

    Professor Dame Margaret Whitehead, chair of the independent review, said:

    “We aim to establish where and how potential ethnic and other unfair biases may arise in the design and use of medical devices, and what can be done to make improvements.

    We especially encourage health, technology and industry experts and researchers to share their views and any evidence concerning medical devices in order to help us tackle inequalities in healthcare.”

    The review chair will issue the panel’s report to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care setting out clear options for consideration by spring 2023 with interim findings expected in winter 2022.