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Category: Foreign Affairs

  • Anne-Marie Trevelyan – 2023 Speech at the South China Sea Conference

    Anne-Marie Trevelyan – 2023 Speech at the South China Sea Conference

    The speech made by Anne-Marie Trevelyan, the UK Minister for the Indo-Pacific, in Vietnam on 25 October 2023.

    Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, friends. It’s good to be here with you in person this morning to show my support for an area of geopolitical importance.

    I am especially glad to be here this year during the 50th anniversary year of diplomatic relations between the United Kingdom and Vietnam. We are a close partner with Vietnam on maritime security and remain committed to strengthening our collaboration.

    I’m here because what happens in the South China Sea matters globally. As you’re aware, almost 60% of global maritime trade passes through the South China Sea. This makes it vital that all parties enjoy the same freedoms to navigate and exercise in the South China Sea.

    Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine offers an alarming example of the pain inflicted when supply chains are disrupted by conflict. Rising energy and food prices are harming the world’s most vulnerable people.

    Like you, the UK is committed to avoiding any such outcome in this region. We seek to preserve a free and open Indo-Pacific. We want to deepen relationships with our partners, support sustainable development and tackle the shared challenges we all face.

    What does this mean for the South China Sea? It means supporting stability and working together on climate change.

    It also means establishing and maintaining open lines of communication. That is the most effective way of managing tensions. Failing to do so risks escalation. You in this region know, more than anyone, the potentially catastrophic consequences that this could have. As the UK deepens its long-term partnership with ASEAN and others in the Indo-Pacific, we are committed to helping you to de-escalate tensions and maintain stability.

    That is why our commitment to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea is unwavering. Last year, on its 40th anniversary, I reiterated the important role UNCLOS plays in setting the legal framework for activities in our seas and oceans.

    The UK takes no sides in the sovereignty disputes in the South China Sea, but we oppose any activity that undermines or threatens UNCLOS’ authority – including attempts to legitimise incompatible maritime claims.

    The recent instances of unsafe conduct against Vietnamese and Filipino vessels has demonstrated the serious risks posed to regional peace and stability. When we see actions that violate UNCLOS we will call them out – as we did following events around the Second Thomas Shoal this week. And we will support our partners to shine a light on this so-called ‘grey zone’ activity that creates tensions and risks escalation.

    Our ambassador in Manila joined partners this July in reiterating that the 2016 Arbitral Award is a significant milestone in resolving disputes peacefully and is legally binding on China and the Philippines. We call on both parties to abide by the findings of those proceedings.

    Our partnership with ASEAN supports our shared commitment for a free and open Indo-Pacific. We respect and admire the central role ASEAN has played in maintaining regional stability and prosperity.

    We look forward to working with you on advancing the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific, with maritime cooperation being a key pillar. We also congratulate ASEAN on issuing its first Maritime Outlook and holding its first maritime Solidarity Exercise.

    I am also grateful to my Indonesian counterparts for their work as ASEAN chair this year in progressing negotiations for a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea.

    The UK strongly believes in the need for an agreement that is consistent with UNCLOS and reflects the interests and guarantees the rights and freedoms of all parties – including third countries. The UK’s Carrier Strike Group will soon return to the region to demonstrate these rights and freedoms in practice.

    Let me turn now to what the UK can offer.

    Like ASEAN, we hope that a sea of conflict can become a sea of cooperation. There is no more urgent need for cooperation than on environmental degradation. Pressures on fisheries, the destruction of the marine environment and rising sea levels pose an existential threat to the millions of people who rely on the South China Sea for their livelihoods.

    This is why we have launched new projects – including through our ASEAN dialogue partnership – to conserve the sea for our future generations.

    Our Just Energy Transition Partnerships, signed with Vietnam and Indonesia, encourage the early retirement of high-emitting coal fired power plants, investment in renewable energy and overcome barriers to support an inclusive and just transition.

    Our Blue Planet Fund, worth half a billion pounds, includes over £150 million for the COAST programme. This is designed to help vulnerable coastal communities across the region improve their climate resilience and become more sustainable.

    Other Blue Planet Fund programmes focus on tackling plastic pollution – a key ASEAN objective; testing innovative mechanisms to mobilise blue finance; protecting coral reefs; and commissioning studies into the impact of climate security risks.

    Furthermore, to sustain the South China Sea’s vital role as a provider for fish and livelihoods, this year the UK announced funding of £2.5 million on Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing – another key priority of the ASEAN Maritime Outlook. This support will help the coastal communities, fragile ocean ecosystems, and global food supply chains that face devastation. We have already started work with partners in the Philippines and we want to expand the scope of similar practical projects with countries in this region, including here in Vietnam.

    The UK also continues to support our regional partners’ resilience and security through our ASEAN-UK Maritime Cooperation Programme. We are helping to build capacity on maritime law and providing training and sharing expertise in Exclusive Economic Zone management, maritime domain awareness, and hydrographic research.

    Through our bids to join the ASEAN Regional Forum, and the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus, we propose to make even stronger commitments to regional security and stability.

    In conclusion, the UK’s commitment in this region is steadfast. The peace and prosperity of the South China Sea must remain a priority for all. I wish you all a productive and successful conference and look forward to the rest of my time here in Vietnam to learn even more personally.

    Thank you.

  • Oliver Dowden – 2023 Speech to the Future Investment Initiative

    Oliver Dowden – 2023 Speech to the Future Investment Initiative

    The speech made by Oliver Dowden, the Deputy Prime Minister, in Riyadh on 24 October 2023.

    Today’s theme is ‘defining dynamism amid global shocks’.

    And there could be no more apt place to discuss dynamism than Saudi Arabia.

    The pace of change in the Kingdom is dizzying:

    Asserting global leadership from the Gulf…

    …rocketing up the rankings for ease of doing business…

    …leapfrogging the world’s largest economies…

    …embracing technological change…

    … and transforming an economy fuelled by oil… into one powered by renewables…

    …making Vision 2030 not just a vision, but a reality.

    That is true dynamism: embracing change, and leading the charge.

    With your megacities and giga-projects, Saudi is not just adopting clean technologies but pioneering them…

    …delivering solutions that we will all be using in the future.

    So That’s why the UK is proud to partner with you in a huge array of areas, such as financial services, clean energy, urban regeneration, academia, defence, sports, e-gaming and more.

    Truly a partnership for the future.

    AGE OF SHOCKS

    But we do so in a world where shocks have become the new norm.

    We rightly refer to them as global shocks because their impact ripples from the epicentre right across our planet.

    The great financial crisis … the Covid pandemic … Russia’s invasion of Ukraine …

    …Record temperatures and devastating natural disasters…

    …and, of course, the brutal strike into the heart of Israel by Hamas terrorists just two weeks ago…

    …the very worst of humanity.

    Thousands of people have died horrifically… unnecessarily.

    Tens of thousands more are injured, or are in mourning.

    And millions are now living in fear of the consequences.

    This has caused untold misery and has led to deep, widespread insecurity.

    And we stand with all innocent victims of this conflict.

    Urging respect for international humanitarian law…

    And for parties to take every possible step to avoid harming civilians.

    And we welcome ongoing efforts to open up humanitarian access to Gaza…

    …we have pledged millions extra in aid…

    …and we remain committed to the two state solution.

    Britain stands together to reject terror, hate and prejudice.

    …and to reset the path to peace and long-term stability.

    TRADITIONAL SECURITY

    And as the Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, the Prime Minister has tasked me personally to drive cross-Government resilience towards shocks of all kinds.

    Understanding the nature of the threats we face today…

    …and scanning the horizon to predict the threats we may face tomorrow.

    The first duty of every government is to protect their civilians.

    Of course, our first line of defence is always our armed forces.

    Those brave men and women are our resilience personified.

    And the UK and Saudi Arabia have a proud partnership in security which stretches back into our history…

    …sharing intelligence, exchanging military hardware, training alongside one another…

    …and continuing into the future with our world-leading Typhoon jets.

    ECONOMIC SECURITY (AND TECH SHOCKS)

    But increasingly, the ripples of recent global shocks…

    …reverberate in an economic sense…

    …disrupting supply chains… driving up energy prices… and causing food shortages.

    And it on this economic front, where I am leading the UK’s charge to be out in front, in terms of our resilience…

    …developing and retaining critical domestic capabilities…

    …screening investment into UK companies…

    …protecting Government procurement from national security threats…

    …and better understanding our supply chains.

    As we scan the horizon, we see that rapid technological advancements will only make this task more urgent.

    We’ve had a glimpse into this future…

    …with cyberattacks bringing public services to a halt…

    …and ransomware wiping millions off companies’ share prices.

    Deepfakes have duped consumers…

    …bots have interfered in elections…

    …and intellectual property has been stolen from businesses and academic institutions.

    Now so far, these have been relative skirmishes…

    …wrought by an unholy alliance between hostile states and non-state actors.

    But with the enormous potential of artificial intelligence and quantum computing…

    …there is a very real possibility that the world’s next shock will be a tech shock.

    And so next week the United Kingdom will be convening the world’s leading nations and pioneering AI companies for the first global frontier AI safety summit.

    These emerging technologies represent exciting opportunities.

    …they exist at the cutting edge of development, often yet to be commercialised and with unknown end applications…

    But we also know that hostile state actors are actively seeking these technologies for their own competitive advantage…

    … or even to enhance their military capability.

    And the most valuable commodities to both businesses and nations are increasingly the source code… the technical designs… or other – intangible – intellectual property that underpins innovation.

    Where they have a military or dual-use application, traditional means of controlling these transfers are often simply not enough.

    These Intangible products can now be exported in a second – attached to an email…

    ….with no customs official to check any documentation…

    …nor a list of multilaterally agreed product categories to check against…

    …because these technologies have only just been invented…

    …often in small university spin-outs, rather than the established defence contractors used to working with Government.

    This dynamism in the tech sphere, must be met with dynamism within Government.

    Now I know that ‘Dynamism’ and ‘Government’, not, perhaps, two words which you often put together…

    But we cannot afford not to be…

    This is why I am reviewing our tools to ensure they are fit for purpose:

    • Examining our export regime controls, to ensure that it is striking the right balance for emerging technologies relevant to national security…
    • Exploring other paths through which this sensitive technology can leak out unchecked such as through outbound investment flows…
    • And working with academic institutions and start-ups to ensure they are alert to the risks, and have the toolkit to protect themselves.

    We need to build a policy environment that provides the private sector with the confidence to innovate…

    Confidence to build partnerships…

    Confidence to grow.

    Economic security should never be seen as a constraint on growth.

    It is an enabler of it.

    UK-KSA ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP

    So just as allies work together on physical security, so we need to work together to build economic security.

    Just as important as the collaboration between nation states is the partnership between Government and business.

    Which is why, earlier this year, we established the National Protective Security Authority within MI5 – so that our security services can support business in understanding and protecting themselves against the threats they face.

    The partnership between the UK and Saudi Arabia is a fine example of the collaboration we need.

    We made the green finance deal made last year – ensuring we protect our energy needs for the future…

    We’ve made an agreement on critical minerals this year – enhancing our collaboration and exploring new sources of supplying these elements that are so vital to our future prosperity and national security.

    And through to next year I will personally be prioritising building the bond between our two kingdoms.

    So today I can announce that I will be leading a new strand of engagement with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia  to enhance our cooperation and mutually-beneficial investment relationships, building on similar relations across the gulf.

    The partnership between our kingdoms has helped to shape the world we live in, and will be a linch-pin of shaping the future through to 2030.

    But just as important as the collaboration between nation states, is the partnership between government and business.

    So I will be Chairing a new Public-Private Forum between Government and business on economic security challenges… with the first meetings later this year.

    And I want to be very clear to all of you, that my door is always open to investors to discuss our economic security agenda.

    And our first task when Prime MInister Rishi Sunak was to restore the predictability and stability that investors so cherish in the United Kingdom.

    Our task now is to drive growth, jobs, prosperity and investment. And I know that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will be a key partner in that mission.

    PROSPERITY AGENDA

    But we should also never underestimate how much our peace, stability, and resilience to shocks are underpinned by our prosperity.

    A strong, growing economy doesn’t just allow you to invest in your armed forces….

    …it also allows you to deliver for your people…

    …it is a signal to the world that you are a serious partner and a key player.

    Those who will succeed in this age of uncertainty, as new economic powers vie for pole position…

    …are those with the fastest-growing, most vibrant, dynamic economies.

    And those nations – and those businesses – will get to shape the new global order.

    And the UK is laser-focused on that prosperity agenda.

    We are wide open for business…

    …a world-leader in climate solutions, life sciences and creativity…

    …a wonderful place to invest and innovate…

    …and a partner with whom to seize technological opportunities.

    Happily these areas where we excel are the areas where Saudi wants to grow.

    So your Vision 2030 is our vision too.

    We’re by your side…

    …with scores of fund managers flocking to Riyadh…

    …and hundreds of UK businesses operating all across Saudi.

    Meanwhile, of course London’s global financial centre remains committed to being the preferred hub for this part of the world…

    …thousands of Saudi students and tourists are in Britain…

    …and Saudi investment is benefitting every corner of our country.

    That is all part of a deepening partnership with the wider GCC – the UK’s 7th largest export market…

    …and with whom we hope to increase trade still further through a free trade agreement.

    Geopolitical shifts are a great challenge to all our economies…

    …but we can turn them into an opportunity to build a new world order based on rules, competition, open markets, innovation and investment.

    Because that is the definition of dynamism: turning challenges into opportunities.

    Not ignoring the threat of climate change but seizing the opportunities we have to build a green future.

    Not shunning artificial intelligence but using it to solve some of the greatest problems we face.

    Not turning inwards as new powers emerge and challenges arise, but forging new alliances and strengthening old ones.

    That is how we will withstand shocks, build resilience and embrace opportunities for all our people.

    Thank you.

  • Keir Starmer – 2023 Speech on the Situation in the Middle East

    Keir Starmer – 2023 Speech on the Situation in the Middle East

    The speech made by Keir Starmer, the Leader of the Opposition, on 31 October 2023.

    Thank you all for coming today.

    And thank you to Chatham House for hosting and for your resolute commitment to dialogue on this issue.

    An issue that so many people recoil from out of despair.

    A despair that in the last three weeks has arguably reached new depths.

    Indeed, anyone who has followed this closely will have seen images that can never be unseen.

    Tiny bodies, wrapped in bundles.

    In Israel and Gaza.

    Mothers and fathers shattered by the ultimate grief.

    The innocent dead.

    Israeli. Palestinian. Muslim. Jew.

    It’s a tragedy where the facts on the ground are changing by the minute, but where the consequences will last for decades and the trauma might never fade.

    A crisis where the search for solutions is shrouded, not just by the fog of war but by an ever-darkening cloud of misinformation.

    Nonetheless, we must do what we can and we must explain what we do.

    Democratic accountability matters – particularly in light of the rising temperature on British streets.

    Our efforts must respond to the two immediate tragedies.

    To the 7th of October – the biggest slaughter of Jews – and that is why they were killed, do not doubt that, since the Holocaust.

    Men, women, children, babies murdered, mutilated and tortured by the terrorists of Hamas.

    Over 200 hostages, including British citizens, taken back into Gaza.

    Make no mistake.

    This is terrorism on a scale and brutality that few countries have ever experienced – certainly not this one.

    And that is an immutable fact that must drive our response to these events.

    As must the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza which again, plays out on a previously unimaginable scale.

    Thousands of innocent Palestinians…

    Dead.

    Displaced.

    Desperate for food and water, reduced to drinking contaminated filth, hiding out in hospitals for shelter whilst in those same buildings, babies lie in incubators that could turn off at any moment.

    At every stage during this crisis, my approach has been driven by the need to respond to both these tragedies.

    To stand by the right to self-defence of any nation which suffers terrorism on this scale alongside the basic human rights of innocent Palestinians caught, once again, in the crossfire.

    To focus, at every stage, on the practical steps that might make a material difference on the ground.

    In the short-term – on the humanitarian conditions in Gaza and the efforts by Israel to rescue her hostages.

    But in the future, also to the hope that I know still burns brightly for those who want peace.

    The two-state solution.

    An Israel where every citizen enjoys the security they need.

    And a viable Palestinian state where the Palestinian people and their children enjoy the freedoms and opportunities that we all take for granted.

    That is why, while I understand calls for a ceasefire, at this stage I do not believe that is the correct position now, for two reasons.

    One, because a ceasefire always freezes any conflict in the state where it currently lies.

    And as we speak, that would leave Hamas with the infrastructure and the capability to carry out the sort of attack we saw on October the 7th.

    Attacks that are still ongoing.

    Hostages who should be released – still held.

    Hamas would be emboldened and start preparing for future violence immediately.

    And it is this context which explains my second reason, which is that our current calls for pauses in the fighting for clear and specific humanitarian purposes, and which must start immediately is right in practice as well as principle.

    In fact it is – at this moment– the only credible approach that has any chance of achieving what we all want to see in Gaza – the urgent alleviation of Palestinian suffering.

    Aid distributed quickly.

    Space to get hostages out.

    That is why it is also the position shared by our major allies, in the US and the EU and I urge all parties to heed its call.

    Over time, the facts on the ground will inevitably change in relation to both hostages being rescued and Hamas’s capability to carry out attacks like we saw on October the 7th.

    And we must move to cessation of fighting as quickly as possible.

    Because the reality is that neither the long-term security of Israel nor long-term justice for Palestine can be delivered by bombs and bullets.

    Open-ended military action, action without a clear and desired political outcome is ultimately futile.

    This needs to begin now because a political agreement – however unlikely that seems today, however painful the first steps are to take – is the only way to resolve this conflict, once and for all.

    That is why our position and our counsel has always been that Israel must submit to the rules of international law.

    The right to self-defence is fundamental but it is not a blank cheque.

    The supply of basic utilities like water, medicines, electricity and yes, fuel to civilians in Gaza cannot be blocked by Israel.

    Every life matters, so every step must be taken to protect civilians from bombardment.

    Palestinians should not be forced to leave their homes en masse, but where they have no choice but to flee within Gaza we need crystal clear guarantees that they will be able to return quickly.

    You cannot overstate the importance of this last point.

    In conflicts like this, the most painful blows are those that land on the bruises of history.

    And for Palestinians – the threat of displacement sends a shiver down the spine.

    It must be disavowed urgently, clearly and by all.

    Because, while it may feel like a truism, so often the trauma of the present, leads directly to the tragedy of the future.

    Hamas know this.

    They knew Israel would have to respond.

    Their aim on October the 7th was not just to kill Jews, it was to bring death upon their fellow Muslims in Gaza.

    A plan, written in blood, to isolate Israel from the West, destroy its improving relations with other Arab Nations and ultimately, provoke wider regional conflicts across the Middle East.

    That threat remains real.

    And I echo President Biden’s sage advice to Israel.

    To understand, in its own interest, why a whirlwind of understandable emotion and rage must not blind it to the fact that it is Hamas it must target, Hamas that is the enemy, Hamas brutality that must be prevented, and not the Palestinian people, who must be protected.

    So I say again – we have to get many more aid trucks across the Rafah crossing.

    We have to get food, water, electricity, medicine and fuel into Gaza.

    We have to preserve innocent lives.

    Hospitals must be protected and cannot become targets.

    Across the West – we have been calling for this for weeks.

    But it hasn’t happened.

    The siege conditions haven’t lifted.

    That’s unacceptable – and it cannot continue.

    The risk of regional escalation is real and must be prevented.

    This is why millions of people across our country are rightly concerned.

    Concerned as well – about the impact this is having on communities here in Britain.

    There are some who want us divided.

    But our approach to multi-culturalism is envied around the globe.

    Jews, Christians, and Muslims live side-by-side and this is so ordinary it is barely remarked upon.

    Inter-faith marriages are common.

    People celebrate each others’ traditions and festivals as naturally as they do their own.

    The freedom of religious expression is uncontroversial.

    We don’t stop often enough to reflect on how unusual this is.

    How Britain’s modern diverse democracy is an existential challenge to people, all around the world, who say this cannot be done, something we’ve worked hard for, through the generations and that at moments like this we do have a responsibility to fight for it.

    We cannot have a Britain where Jewish business are attacked, Jewish schools marked with red paint, Jewish families hiding who they are.

    We cannot have a Britain where Muslim women feel scared to take public transport, Mosques are attacked, Palestinian restaurants receive death threats.

    No – this isn’t our Britain.

    And in the Labour Party we will have to reach out to communities under pressure and show them the respect and empathy they deserve as a fundamental British right.

    But ultimately, the gravest ramifications of failure, will of course be felt in the Middle East itself.

    For too long the international community has put the Israeli-Palestinian conflict into the too difficult box.

    There is no recent equivalent of anything like the concerted push for peace we saw in the 1990s and early 2000s.

    No – what has happened is we have continually paid lip service to a two-state solution.

    Because it’s easier – convenient – perhaps to look away.

    To look away from Gaza.

    Knowing it is controlled by those who want to kill Jews and wipe Israel off the map.

    To look away from Israel.

    Knowing people live without the security which they deserve.

    To look away from the West Bank.

    Knowing more settlements are being built against international law.

    Now – I don’t say any of this to start a new round of arguments or hand-wringing.

    Instead this must be the time for a new resolve.

    A renewed push, from all parties, to find a way to peace.

    It will mean engaging with our Arab partners, working urgently on viable plans for a Palestine free from the terrorism of Hamas.

    It will mean engaging with Israel, seeking to address its security concerns in the future but showing clearly that the settlement building is unacceptable, unlawful and has to stop.

    The Palestinian people need to know there is a genuine will and determination from Israel, from Arab states, from the West to finally address their plight in deeds as well as words.

    Because the Palestinian claim to statehood is not in the gift of a neighbour.

    It is an inalienable right of the Palestinian people and the clear logic of any call for a two-state solution.

    So my Labour Party will fight for that cause.

    We will work with international partners towards the recognition of a Palestinian state as part of a negotiated, just and lasting peace.

    Because even in the darkest days – in fact especially in the darkest days – we have to keep alive the light of peace.

    Fight, despite the horror of the present, for the fragile hope of the future.

    Focusing, always, on the difference we can make.

    This is an old conflict, but it is not and never has been an issue that will be solved by the black and white simplicity of unbending conviction.

    Rather, the colour of peace – always in conflict resolution is grey.

    And in the coming days and months we must do everything we can to fight for it.

    Thank you.

  • James Cleverly – 2023 Statement at the Cairo Peace Summit

    James Cleverly – 2023 Statement at the Cairo Peace Summit

    The statement made by James Cleverly, the Foreign Secretary, in Cairo on 21 October 2023.

    Thank you Mr President for convening this incredibly important meeting at this difficult time.

    I am sure we all share the revulsion at Hamas’s murderous acts of terrorism, the targeting of civilians, the murdering of children, the desecration of dead bodies. And I’m sure we are all distressed by the plight of Palestinian civilians in Gaza whose lives have been made harder, more painful and more dangerous because of the brutal attacks by Hamas on the 7th of October. And we all mourn the dead, both Israeli and Palestinian.

    This has been an issue which has long stimulated passions and we are now all seeing on social media and in our communities how divisive and polarising the current situation has become. So we have a duty, a duty to work together to prevent instability from engulfing the region and claiming yet more lives. We must work together to prevent the tragic situation in Gaza becoming a regional conflict because that is exactly what Hamas wants.

    We remind ourselves that just months ago the Negev summit was a moment of hope, hope for peaceful coexistence between the Israelis and the Palestinians. Hamas has long stood in direct opposition to that vision and we must therefore ensure that Hamas does not win. Rather, we must ensure the peaceful co-existence wins.

    The UK notes the thoughtful and calm words of President Abbas on behalf of the Palestinian people, and we are grateful to the governments who are seeking to intercede on behalf of those held hostage and those foreign nationals who are trapped in Gaza. And we are grateful for the work to ensure that the humanitarian aid, which many of us have partially funded, reaches those Gazans who are deeply in need.

    The UK is clear and has been consistently clear that Israel has the right to self-defence and the right to secure the release of those who were kidnapped on the 7th of October. And we are also clear that we must work and they must work to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people in Gaza and that their actions are in accordance with international law. I have spoken directly to the Israeli government about their duty to respect international law and the importance of preserving civilian lives in Gaza. Despite the incredibly difficult circumstances, I have called for discipline and professionalism and restraint from the Israeli military.

    The situation currently unfolding is probably the most challenging situation that I have had to deal with in my professional, personal or political life. And I suspect that I am not alone.

    But I still believe in the power of diplomacy, and I still believe that we can work together to secure a future where Israelis and Palestinians live in peace.

  • PRESS RELEASE : UK statement for 74th session of the UNHCR Executive Committee [October 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : UK statement for 74th session of the UNHCR Executive Committee [October 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 11 October 2023.

    This statement was delivered by the UK Human Rights Ambassador Rita French at the 74th UNHCR Executive Committee.

    Thank you Chair, High Commissioner, and distinguished delegates.

    The UK expresses its deepest sympathies to those killed by the earthquakes in Afghanistan and the terrorist acts in Israel. We express our steadfast support to the State of Israel, and our unequivocal condemnation of Hamas and its appalling acts of terrorism.

    As you recognised, High Commissioner, the conflict in the Middle East is a ‘dangerous piece in a growing mosaic of crises,’ alongside rising forced displacement – now at over 110 million people.

    In recognition of these rising urgent humanitarian needs, in 2024-2025, the UK intends to spend £1 billion globally. We have also sustained our core, unearmarked funding in 2023 and encourage others to likewise provide flexible contributions.

    High Commissioner, I would like to express our deep gratitude to UNHCR staff for your invaluable work and we applaud UNHCR’s ongoing Business Transformation efforts to make the organisation more effective and efficient.

    I want to recognise the continued generosity and leadership of host nations and communities for providing sanctuary to forcibly displaced people.

    We are gravely concerned about displacement globally, including the continued crisis in Sudan which has displaced 1.1 million people, with more affected by the day. The continued widespread violence across the country and significant civilian death toll are horrific. The Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have dragged Sudan into a wholly unjustified war, with utter disregard for the Sudanese people, and they will be held accountable.

    Chad, Egypt and South Sudan have led the way in providing protection to those fleeing violence. But the impact on these generous host nations – all of whom are facing their own humanitarian or economic challenges – is immense.

    In addition to £21.7 million for humanitarian assistance inside Sudan, we have committed £5 million to help meet the urgent needs of refugees and returnees in South Sudan and Chad.

    We will tirelessly pursue all diplomatic avenues to press for a permanent ceasefire, allow unfettered humanitarian access, and commit to a sustained and meaningful peace process.

    Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has also displaced around 11 million people and leaves nearly 18 million in humanitarian need.

    In response, we have provided £347 million in humanitarian assistance since the start of the invasion and, as of 25 September, there have been 186,600 arrivals of Ukrainian refugees to the UK.

    To reiterate our Foreign Secretary’s clear message, we remain steadfast in our commitment to support Ukraine to recover its territory and ‘win the peace’.

    These are just two examples, but we are committed to using all our diplomatic, development and humanitarian levers to support all forcibly displaced people and peacebuilding globally. We will renew our commitment to doing so in our Development White Paper later this year.

    The UK remains committed to the Global Compact on Refugees as the best strategy to achieve greater burden- and responsibility-sharing. We recognise the fundamental part the Compact plays in ensuring the international protection regime is fit for the 21st century, including supporting inclusion and protection of the most vulnerable, including women and girls, the LGBT+ community and those with disabilities.

    Therefore, the UK aligns itself with the statement of Group of Friends on the Charter on Disability Inclusion.

    The Global Refugee Forum is an opportunity for the international community to recommit to the Global Compact. And we look forward to announcing our pledges at the Forum in December.

    UNHCR estimates there are 10 million stateless people worldwide with the Rohingya the single largest stateless population of two million and increasing, and the UK aligns itself with the statement of the Group of Friends on Statelessness.

    Over the past six years, the UK has provided £365 million to the response in Bangladesh and nearly £30 million to Rohingya and other Muslim minorities in Rakhine State.

    But the situation remains desperate.

    The long-term solution for this crisis must be the safe, voluntary, and dignified return of the Rohingya to Rakhine state, once the conditions allow.

    We remain committed to making this a reality, and to supporting Rohingya refugees across the region until they can return home.

    High Commissioner, the UK Minister for the region is pleased to be co-convening the Rohingya Conference in Bangkok next week alongside UNHCR.

    On the International Day of the Girl, I want to highlight that statelessness is a gender equality issue.

    There are 24 countries that do not allow women to pass on their citizenship on an equal basis to men. These laws are a root cause of childhood and multi-generational statelessness. We call on these countries to reform their nationality laws.

    Statelessness can be ended. And we look forward to joining the Global Alliance to End Statelessness when it is launched in 2024 to help make this happen.

    Thank you very much.

  • Charlotte Nichols – 2023 Speech on Israel and Gaza

    Charlotte Nichols – 2023 Speech on Israel and Gaza

    The speech made by Charlotte Nichols, the Labour MP for Warrington North, in the House of Commons on 16 October 2023.

    Mr Speaker,

    “No stone can remain unturned in finding a political solution.”

    Those are not my words, but those of the Israeli and Arab mothers’ collective Woman Wage Peace, echoed in recent days by survivors from Kibbutz Be’eri, the family of those murdered at Netiv Ha’Asara, organisations such as B’Tselem, Omdim Ben Yachad, and thousands of peace activists and ordinary Israelis who are desperately praying for the cycle of violence to end and a lasting peace to be secured. What will the Government be doing to heed that call and mobilise international actors to find the political solution, however far away it feels right now, so that there may be a way out of the nightmare that Hamas has unleashed for all in Israel, Palestine and the wider region for good?

    The Prime Minister

    We must provide an alternative to the vision of violence, fear and terror presented by Hamas, and that is what the United Kingdom will do, standing with Israel but also working together with its people and our allies across the region—all of those who remain committed to a vision of a more peaceful, more integrated, more secure and more prosperous middle east. That is what we will work towards.

  • Stephen Crabb – 2023 Speech on Israel and Gaza

    Stephen Crabb – 2023 Speech on Israel and Gaza

    The speech made by Stephen Crabb, the Conservative MP for Preseli Pembrokeshire, in the House of Commons on 16 October 2023.

    May I thank you, Mr Speaker, for the step that you took at the beginning of last week in lighting up this Palace in the colours of blue and white as an act of solidarity with the Israeli victims of Hamas terrorism? I know that it was appreciated by those British families mourning loved ones who were slain in that action as well as by families living with unimaginable fear right now because they have family members who have been taken hostage in Gaza. Some of those family members are with us in the Gallery.

    Does the Prime Minister agree that after the acts of barbarism by Hamas, there is no going back to the situation before where, right under the noses of the international community, Hamas were allowed to rearm time and again? They were allowed to misappropriate aid into terrorist infrastructure, building those tunnels, amassing armaments and hiding them behind civilian families. Does he agree that the international community must take a stand and not allow the Gaza strip to go back to becoming a terrorist statelet?

    The Prime Minister

    First, I thank my right hon. Friend for everything he does to support the Jewish community here and overseas. I agree that no country can or would tolerate the slaughter of its citizens and simply return to the conditions that allowed that to take place. Israel has the right—indeed, the obligation—to defend itself and to ensure that this never happens again.

  • Richard Burgon – 2023 Speech on Israel and Gaza

    Richard Burgon – 2023 Speech on Israel and Gaza

    The speech made by Richard Burgon, the Labour MP for Leeds East, in the House of Commons on 16 October 2023.

    The massacre of Israeli civilians was a heinous act of terrorism that we all utterly condemn and the hostages must be released immediately. In the words of the United Nations Secretary-General,

    “the horrific acts by Hamas do not justify responding with collective punishment of the Palestinian people.”

    But that is what we are seeing in Gaza, with civilian areas bombed and food, electricity, water and medicines all cut off. Such collective punishment is a war crime under the Geneva conventions, so will the Prime Minister take this opportunity to make it clear to the Israeli Government that this collective punishment of Palestinian civilians must end immediately?

    The Prime Minister

    I would say gently to the hon. Gentleman that I actually believe that we should support absolutely Israel’s right to defend itself and to go after Hamas, recognising that it faces a vicious enemy that embeds itself behind civilians. Of course, Israel will act within international humanitarian law—and, as a friend, we will continue to call on Israel to take every precaution in avoiding harming citizens—but we must acknowledge always that the responsibility for what is happening here is with Hamas and Hamas alone.

  • Nadhim Zahawi – 2023 Speech on Israel and Gaza

    Nadhim Zahawi – 2023 Speech on Israel and Gaza

    The speech made by Nadhim Zahawi, the former Chancellor of the Exchequer, in the House of Commons on 16 October 2023.

    I want to add my voice to all those who stand with Israel and her inalienable right to defend herself against an unspeakable crime. As someone born in the middle east, as a father and as a human, it was too painful to watch. Israel has to take the necessary steps to root out this evil virus of fundamentalism that has so clearly infested those in Hamas and, of course, destroy it. Just as we stood together against ISIS, we will stand together again. My request to my right hon. Friend is that, when this has been done, the UK encourages Israel to set out for all to see the positive actions it will take to change the reality in Gaza once and for all. Gaza and the world will need Israel to show her best self after this war.

    The Prime Minister

    I thank my right hon. Friend for his powerful statement and also agree with him, We must think about the future, and in spite of this awful tragedy, we cannot lose sight of the better future that we all want to strive for. Indeed, in my conversations with leaders we have already been thinking about that, and it is something I raised with the Prime Minister of Israel as well. We all want that better future for the Israeli and Palestinian people, and hopefully out of this tragedy we will find a way to move closer towards it.

  • Christian Wakeford – 2023 Speech on Israel and Gaza

    Christian Wakeford – 2023 Speech on Israel and Gaza

    The speech made by Christian Wakeford, the Labour MP for Bury South, in the House of Commons on 16 October 2023.

    On Saturday, I went to shul and sat next to a constituent whose cousin is one of the hostages. My thoughts and prayers go out not only to him, but to all families and hostages currently detained.

    While conflict escalates in the middle east, we see the effects on the streets here in Britain. I welcome the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition standing behind Israel’s right to defend itself and the £3 million increase in funding for the Community Security Trust. However, unfortunately, in the past week we have seen an increase of around 500% in antisemitic incidents and an 850% increase in suspicious behaviours, and even this weekend glorification of Hamas and genocidal chants on the streets of our cities, in some cases mere feet away from police officers. Will the Prime Minister join me in applauding the efforts of the CST in keeping the Jewish community safe, but also commit to ensuring that anyone found to be preaching this hate speech on our streets faces the full extent of the law?

    The Prime Minister

    I can give the hon. Gentleman that assurance. I met the CST and police chiefs last week, in Downing Street, not just to provide extra funding, but to reiterate that there is zero tolerance in the United Kingdom for antisemitism. It is tragic that we have seen a significant increase in incidents over the past week, but those who perpetrate these crimes will be met with the full force of the law.