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The press release issued by the Cabinet Office on 29 April 2025.

Joint statement by the co-chairs of the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee, Minister for the Cabinet Office, the Rt Hon Nick Thomas-Symonds MP and the European Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič, 29 April 2025 :

The United Kingdom (UK) and European Union (EU) today held a meeting of the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee in London. The Joint Committee co-chairs took note of the state of play of the implementation of the Withdrawal Agreement since the last meeting on 16 May 2024, renewing the EU and UK’s shared commitment to the full, timely, and faithful implementation of the Agreement in all its parts.

The co-chairs reiterated that citizens’ rights are a key joint priority. In that spirit, the co-chairs warmly welcomed the legislative step taken by the UK Government relating to legal clarity for EU citizens with status under the EU Settlement Scheme and look forward to its practical application. They highlighted the importance of ensuring a smooth transition for citizens from temporary to permanent residence over the course of the next two years. The co-chairs agreed to further strengthen their ongoing cooperation on all citizens’ rights issues to ensure that all citizens who are beneficiaries of the Withdrawal Agreement can fully enjoy their rights now and in the future.

The co-chairs recalled the importance they attach to the full, timely, and faithful implementation of the Windsor Framework for the benefit of people and businesses in Northern Ireland, while continuing to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland and ensuring the protection of the EU Single Market, to which Northern Ireland has a unique access, and the integrity of the UK’s Internal Market.

They noted the considerable work undertaken to date in the implementation of the Windsor Framework, having delivered benefits across areas, including on agri-foods, trade, VAT and excise, and engagement with stakeholders. They recalled specifically that, since the last Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee, the arrangements for human medicines had started applying effective from 1 January 2025. At the meeting today, they also completed important work on safeguards allowing new customs facilitations on parcels and freight to take effect on 1 May 2025.

They reiterated their unwavering commitment to stepping up the work for the full delivery of safeguards underpinning the facilitations, in particular in the agri-food area.

The co-chairs welcomed the Joint Committee newly adopted decisions on the implementation of the Windsor Framework. Finally, they adopted the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee Annual Report for the year 2024.

The co-chairs agreed to continue working in a spirit of mutual trust and remain in very close contact to achieve full delivery of the Withdrawal Agreement and to strengthen bilateral relations in view of the UK-EU Summit on 19 May 2025.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 29 April 2025.

Statement by the UK’s Ambassador for Human Rights to the UN, Eleanor Sanders, at Guinea’s Universal Periodic Review at the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Thank you, Madame Vice President.

We thank the Guinean delegation for setting out its efforts to protect human rights. And we welcome the steps taken to return to constitutional order. Presidential elections must be held by the end of 2025, as committed to by President Doumbouya.

Guinea must also take urgent action to tackle corruption in the judiciary and public administration, ensuring that international standards are upheld.

Freedom of expression and media freedom are vital. We urge the Government to decriminalise peaceful demonstration and lift the ban on mainstream private media. This will, in turn, strengthen legal protection for journalists, the media and civil society.

Steps should also be taken to tackle all forms of discrimination and inequality including against minority groups.

We recommend that Guinea:

Ensure electoral processes in 2025 are credible, including during September’s referendum on the constitution; and local, legislative and presidential elections

Promote freedom of expression by decriminalising defamation, lifting the ban on private media channels and allowing peaceful public demonstrations.

Take urgent action to tackle corruption in the judiciary and public administration, upholding due process in line with international standards.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 29 April 2025.

Statement by Lord Collins of Highbury, Minister for Africa and the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Ukraine.

Since Russia’s invasion over three years ago, this Council has met many times to discuss the death, destruction and misery Russia unleashed on Ukrainians.

It has displaced over three and a half million people within the country, and almost seven million have sought refuge abroad leaving over a third of the population in dire need of humanitarian help.

And its consequences have been felt far beyond Ukraine too, sending food and energy prices soaring which has hit the most vulnerable around the world the hardest.

We welcome the US’s efforts to end this war, yet it is impossible not to reflect on the sheer scale of the crisis – including the shocking attack on Kryvyi Rih in which 20 people were killed earlier this month.

Nine children lost their lives that day, and the UN reported that this was the largest number of children killed in a single strike since the start of the invasion.

Civilian casualties have increased by 50% since February and over 10,000 missiles and drones have been fired into Ukraine since the start of the war.

Such brutality has, sadly, continued – from the revolting strike in Sumy on Palm Sunday to the missiles raining upon Kharkiv and Kyiv, we do not need more evidence to prove that Putin is not serious about peace.

Putin’s latest announcement for a temporary ceasefire, yet again, rings hollow.

We need only look to the 30-hour pause in fighting over Easter as an example, during which there was no indication that a ceasefire on the frontline was observed.

President, I think we can all see through this pretence.

Russia must declare a ceasefire now.

Not in a day, not in a week. Ukraine stands ready to go the whole way – a durable and full ceasefire – right now.

So why wait? Why only for 72 hours?

If Putin were truly serious, he would agree today to an immediate, full and unconditional ceasefire, just as Ukraine has done – not simply announce a short pause from May 8th.

But Putin chooses not to.

Compare that to Ukraine, which agreed to the US ceasefire proposal over 40 days ago.

Make no mistake – the United Kingdom’s commitment to peace is clear.

As is the United Kingdom’s commitment to stand by Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression.

Together, with our allies and partners, we must continue to work with Ukraine and speak up with one voice in Ukraine’s support.

Because that remains the best way of achieving a just and sustainable end to Putin’s selfish war.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 29 April 2025.

Statement by Lord Collins of Highbury, Minister for Africa and the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on the Middle East.

The human cost on October 7th was horrific. And since that day, the hostages have endured unimaginable cruelty, and Palestinians have faced relentless death and destruction.

We welcome President Abbas’s call for the hostages to be released, and we echo that call. We also need a return to the ceasefire to end the terrible bloodshed.

We are deeply concerned by the World Food Programme’s announcement on Friday that its food stocks in Gaza have run out.

It is unacceptable that Israel has blocked humanitarian support from entering Gaza for nearly two months, meaning that Palestinian civilians, including one million children, are facing starvation, disease and death.

UN and other workers must be able to deliver life-saving assistance safely, and in line with humanitarian principles.

We are outraged by recent attacks, including the killing of Palestinian Red Crescent workers and the hit on a UN compound on 19th March. Israel has admitted that this was caused by one of their tanks, despite the compound being known to the IDF as a UN humanitarian facility.

This is inexcusable.

We urge Israel to ensure accurate public statements on such grave incidents. It must conduct full and transparent investigations into these incidents, hold those responsible to account and reinstate an effective deconfliction system to prevent such tragedies.

President, the UK believes that lasting peace and security can only be achieved through a two-state solution.

And we thank France and Saudi Arabia for their leadership in preparing for the conference in June. We should build on the Arab plan for Gaza’s future and develop credible security and governance plans acceptable to both Israelis and Palestinians. Hamas must no longer govern Gaza or pose a threat to Israel and we should build the capability of the Palestinian Authority, which will be central to a future State.

Finally, we must seize the opportunity to build lasting peace across the region. There has been important progress in Lebanon, where the government has committed to crucial reforms, and in Syria, with moves towards an inclusive political transition.

The United Kingdom will continue to support the Lebanese and Syrian people to build on this momentum and we urge all parties to avoid destabilising actions and abide by their international obligations.

President, a better future in the Middle East is possible.

To realise it, we must return to a ceasefire in Gaza, reinvest in efforts to achieve a two-state solution and pursue wider normalisation of relationships for the benefit of Palestinians, Israelis, and all those living in the region. I thank you.