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The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 2 July 2024.

UK statement for Interactive Dialogue on the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Report on New and Emerging Technologies. Delivered at 56th HRC.

Thank you, Madame Vice-President,

The United Kingdom welcomes the OHCHR report, and work in this area. We recognise that the development, deployment and use of new and emerging technologies have profound implications for the enjoyment of human rights. That’s why the UK wants the Global Digital Compact to reinforce that existing international law and international human rights law applies online as it does offline, and to champion the positive potential of digital technologies to enable human rights.

Last year the UK hosted a dialogue at Wilton Park on New and Emerging Technology and Human Rights. The outcomes of the dialogue included a recommendation that encouraged governments, businesses and civil society to map and prioritise specific human rights risks in the context of new and emerging technologies, and to work together to better target collective efforts. Global cooperation is vital for ensuring that both technologies and the rules governing their use are developed in a way that safeguards human rights.

The UK welcomes further recommendations from the OHCHR on how we can take concrete measures to ensure a multi-stakeholder approach for protecting and promoting human rights in the field of new and emerging technologies.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 2 July 2024.

Statement by UK Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Barbara Woodward at the UN Security Council briefing by Sigrid Kaag, UN Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator for Gaza.

At the outset of the Russian Presidency, let me put on record the UK’s strong view that all Council members – particularly permanent members, and even more so the Presidency of the Council – have a responsibility to uphold the principles of the Charter. We deplore the fact that Russia is shamefully failing to do that in Ukraine.

I’d like to start by joining others in thanking the Senior Humanitarian and Reconstruction Coordinator, for your important work to alleviate the suffering of Palestinian civilians in Gaza including the focus on women and children.

They are still facing a devastating and deteriorating humanitarian crisis. Too many people have died.

We reiterate our strong condemnation of Hamas’ 7 October attacks and we call for the immediate release of all the remaining hostages, and the return of all those who have died in captivity. We are appalled by reports of sexual violence and abuse. The UK stands firm in its condemnation of these heinous acts. A negotiated pause in the fighting that leads to a sustainable ceasefire is the best way both to secure the release of the hostages and to enable the major and essential scaling up of humanitarian aid. There is now a deal on the table, endorsed by this Council, to achieve those goals. The onus is now on Hamas to accept it.

We also continue to call on Israel to fulfil its commitments to increase the amount of aid getting into Gaza and to meet its obligations to facilitate unhindered humanitarian access. The findings of the IPC famine risk assessment demonstrate that not enough aid is getting into Gaza and reaching those in need. We also call for the immediate re-opening of the Rafah crossing, and to scale-up aid through all other crossing points.

Distribution of aid within Gaza also needs to improve. A guaranteed and functioning deconfliction mechanism is critical to this. We call on Israel to support the minimum operating requirements of the UN agencies, by providing timely approval of visas and allowing entry of armoured vehicles and personal protective equipment. President, resolution 2720 provides for a mechanism which will show whether aid is reaching those who need it. I thank Senior Coordinator Kaag and her team for their work to establish this mechanism and urge her to continue her efforts to ensure it can deliver this in a comprehensive and timely way.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 1 July 2024.

Following North Korea’s ballistic missile launches on 30 June, a Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) spokesperson gave a statement.

An FCDO spokesperson said:

North Korea’s ballistic missile launches on 30 June are another breach of multiple UN Security Council resolutions (UNSCRs). Unlawful ballistic missile launches continue to destabilise the peace and security of the Korean Peninsula.

The UK strongly urges North Korea to stop such provocations, return to dialogue and take credible steps towards denuclearisation.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 1 July 2024.

UK Statement for the Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on the Rights to Peaceful Assembly. Delivered at the 56th HRC in Geneva.

Thank you Mr President.

We welcome the Special Rapporteur’s report and agree that the freedoms of peaceful assembly and association, both online and offline, are fundamental for safeguarding democracy, human rights and peace. These rights are essential to the functioning of society, providing a platform for citizens to advocate for positive change.

Nonetheless, civic space is increasingly contested as authoritarian governments and actors, who feel vulnerable to scrutiny and accountability, seek to silence dissent. We are deeply concerned by the threats to the rights: to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association across the globe.

These threats are often in the form of policies and rhetoric that undermine international contact, funding and networking, all of which are foundational to guaranteeing civic freedoms.

Special Rapporteur,

We recognise the vital role of civil society in promoting and protecting freedoms of peaceful assembly and of association.

What can the international community do to monitor the growing trend of governments using legislative and regulatory tools to isolate civil society internationally? And what can we do to promote networking and collaboration among civil society internationally?

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 1 July 2024.

Diplomatic Missions in Jerusalem and Ramallah condemn demolitions during visit to Um al Kheir, South Hebron.

Representatives from Belgium, Canada, Denmark, EU, Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, and the UK made a joint visit to the village of Um al Kheir in South Hebron following a mass demolition operation on 26 June. This was the largest demolition operation in the West Bank since 7 October.

During their visit, diplomats witnessed the aftermath of the demolition of multiple properties and its distressing impact on the community. This included residential structures, the community centre and an electricity generator which had supplied power to the Um al Kheir community.

The delegation called on Israel to halt demolitions and confiscations in Um al Kheir or Khallet al-Tabe which would be devastating for the local communities and could raise the risk of forcible transfer. The delegation also noted further demolitions had taken place in Beitillu, Silwan, At-Tur, Al Auja, and east of Jericho city, and called on Israel to halt further demolitions throughout Area C and East Jerusalem.

The delegation called on Israel to respect all its obligations under Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, including the prohibition on forcible transfer, and reiterated their opposition to illegal settlements, which fuel violence and impede the two-state solution.

The delegation called on Israel to halt demolitions and confiscations of Palestinian property in accordance with its obligations as an occupying power under international humanitarian law. They also called on Israel to cease the policy of settlement construction and expansion, of designating land for exclusive Israeli use, and of denying Palestinian development. Failure to do so could risk violating international law, undermines a two-state solution and is a major impediment to peace and security.

In addition, the delegation reaffirmed their commitment to upholding Palestinian rights and assisting vulnerable populations in Area C, emphasising the need for Israel, as the occupying power, to ensure the safety of all Palestinian communities living in Area C.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 1 July 2024.

The British Ambassador to Japan, Julia Longbottom, issued a statement on the State Visit to the UK by Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress of Japan.

I am delighted that the State Visit of Their Majesties the Emperor and Empress of Japan has concluded so successfully. This visit to the UK was made possible after several years of preparation starting in 2019, and I feel extremely honoured to have been involved in such a historic event.

The visit to the UK came at a truly auspicious time for UK-Japan relations. As His Majesty the Emperor said in his speech at the State Banquet, the UK and Japan are ‘friends like no other’ and our relationship has never been stronger. Our partnership spans trade, security, science and technology, sustainable energy and more, all encapsulated in the Hiroshima Accord agreed last year.

We have also witnessed the warm bonds of friendship between our people. This includes the closeness of our royal families, as demonstrated by the shared interest of His Majesty the King and His Majesty the Emperor in biodiversity and environmental protection.

The Guildhall Banquet hosted by the City of London, a pioneering ecosystem for international finance and business services, including innovative research and academic institutions, was attended by guests representing the business communities of both countries. The dinner symbolised the deepening of our cooperation through collaboration between businesses and local governments in both countries.

The official programme also showcased the ground-breaking collaboration between Japanese and British scientists and researchers in the fields of genetics, stem cells and cell regeneration. It was very moving to see the Emperor and Empress smiling as they interacted with the children who will be the next generation of the Japan-UK partnership, and to see how the arts and culture of both countries continue to influence each other across generations and national boundaries.

This visit to the UK has allowed us to send a message to the world that the UK-Japan relationship is moving forward into the future. It has also highlighted the fact that both countries will continue to work together to build a sustainable society and make the world a more peaceful and secure place, while seeking new treatments such as tracking mutated strains of viruses and developing vaccines in preparation for future pandemic crises. From the UK’s contribution to World Expo 2025, which will focus on global collaboration to save lives, to the visit of the Carrier Strike Group next year and beyond, we will continue to write new pages in history together. I also hope that the bonds between people will continue to grow stronger through education and other forms of exchange.

We are now entering a new era in UK-Japan relations. We will build an even stronger relationship of trust and a forward-looking partnership with the people of Japan to write the next 400 years of our history together.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 30 June 2024.

The UK government gave a statement in response to Israel announcing that five outposts are to be legalised in the West Bank.

A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) spokesperson said:

The UK strongly opposes the announcement that five outposts are to be legalised in the West Bank as well as further punitive measures against the Palestinian Authority.

Israel must halt its illegal settlement expansion and hold to account those responsible for extremist settler violence. We are clear that actions by Israel to weaken the Palestinian Authority must stop. We call for longer-term measures to be put in place to ensure continued correspondent banking relations and assurance that Israel will release frozen funds without delay.

The UK’s priority is to bring the Gaza conflict to a sustainable end as quickly as possible and ensure a lasting peace in the Middle East, through an irreversible pathway towards a two-state solution.