Category: Foreign Affairs

  • Liz Truss – 2022 Statement on Visit to Prague

    Liz Truss – 2022 Statement on Visit to Prague

    The statement made by Liz Truss, the Foreign Secretary, in Prague on 27 May 2022.

    Well, thank you very much. It’s very good to be here in Prague with my friend Jan.

    We are very close allies and together we have backed Ukraine against the appalling war perpetrated by Vladimir Putin.

    The Czech Republic knows what occupation is like, first with the Nazis and then with the Soviets. And earlier today, I was pleased to join the commemoration of Operation Anthropoid, celebrating the bravery of heroic Czech resistance fighters who were trained by the British in the Second World War.

    And I saw from the Czech Republic public the strength of opinion in the face of adversity and also the outrage of Vladimir Putin’s appalling war in Ukraine. And it very much reflected the way that we have seen public opinion in Britain, absolutely horrified by what Putin is doing in Ukraine.

    Here in the Czech Republic, we saw the rebirth of democracy and freedom in the 1990s.

    And I know that that is the spirit that Jan and the Czech government represents today. More than any other government and any other country, the Czech Republic, knows the dangers of appeasement and compromise in the face of aggression.

    And that’s why we’ve agreed that we need to keep up the pressure on sanctions both through the G7 and through the EU. And we need to make sure that the brave Ukrainian people have the weapons they need to defend themselves.

    The United Kingdom was the first European country to send weapons to Ukraine and the Czechs were the first country to send tanks to Ukraine.

    Together, we are training Ukrainian fighters through the British Military Advisory Training Team and in the Czech Republic we’ve also discussed the importance of rebuilding Ukraine and having a Marshall Plan supported by the free world to rebuild this vital country.

    Together, we’re fighting Russian and Chinese disinformation, and I want to commend the Czech Republic for the strong stance that they have taken against Chinese economic coercion.

    We must ensure that Taiwan is also able to defend itself.

    We both agree that NATO needs to step up. We need to do more to protect the edges of Europe, including Moldova and the Balkans, which I visited earlier this week. We also need to strengthen the eastern flank, and we need to make sure that Finland and Sweden are able to join NATO as soon as possible.

    We need to do a lot more on cyber warfare to protect ourselves against the hybrid threat.

    We have to be ready for the long haul in supporting Ukraine because we are committed to protecting freedom and democracy.

    Now is not the time to be complacent. There should be no talk of ceasefires or appeasing Putin. We need to make sure that Ukraine wins, that Russia withdraws, and that we never see this type of Russian aggression again.

    Thank you.

  • Ben Wallace – 2022 Comments on Spanish and British Defence Plans

    Ben Wallace – 2022 Comments on Spanish and British Defence Plans

    The comments made by Ben Wallace, the Secretary of State for Defence, on 25 May 2022.

    Across the globe, the UK and Spain are deployed helping our allies upholding our common values. Spain, as one of the leaders in European defence, is a key partner for the UK armed forces and a vital NATO ally.

    Spain and the UK have been NATO Allies for forty years and our armed forces have worked together in operations right across the world.

    As we have seen through Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, this defensive cooperation matters, as we continue to support Ukraine and focus on the wider stability and security of Europe.

  • Boris Johnson – 2022 Comments on Agreement with Qatar

    Boris Johnson – 2022 Comments on Agreement with Qatar

    The comments made by Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister, on 24 May 2022.

    Today’s announcement of up to £10bn in new investment from our Qatari friends is another vote of confidence in the UK’s brilliant businesses and cutting-edge industry. The new UK-Qatar Strategic Investment Partnership will create quality job opportunities across the country in key sectors, delivering on our vision of economic growth through trade and investment.

    Qatar is a valued partner for the UK, supported by Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad’s leadership. We had a rich discussion on the issues that matter to both of our countries, including boosting the economy, ensuring regional stability and improving energy security following Russia’s appalling invasion of Ukraine.

  • Liz Truss – 2022 Statement on China’s Human Rights Violations in Xinjiang

    Liz Truss – 2022 Statement on China’s Human Rights Violations in Xinjiang

    The statement made by Liz Truss, the Foreign Secretary, on 24 May 2022.

    Today, further shocking details of China’s human rights violations in Xinjiang have emerged, which add to the already extensive body of evidence from Chinese government documents, first-hand testimony, satellite imagery and visits by our own diplomats to the region.

    New evidence shows the extraordinary scale of China’s targeting of Uyghur Muslims and other ethnic minorities, including forced labour, severe restrictions on freedom of religion, the separation of parents from their children, forced birth control, and mass incarceration.

    The UK stands with our international partners in calling out China’s appalling persecution of Uyghur Muslims and other minorities. We remain committed to holding China to account.

    We reiterate our longstanding expectation that China grants the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights full and unfettered access to the region so that she can conduct a thorough assessment of the facts on the ground, and we are following her visit this week closely.

    If such access is not forthcoming, the visit will only serve to highlight China’s attempts to hide the truth of its actions in Xinjiang.

  • Boris Johnson – 2022 Comments on Anthony Albanese Becoming Prime Minister of Australia

    Boris Johnson – 2022 Comments on Anthony Albanese Becoming Prime Minister of Australia

    The comments made by Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister, on 21 May 2022.

    Congratulations to Anthony Albanese on your election as Prime Minister of Australia.

    Our countries have a long history and a bright future together. As thriving likeminded democracies we work every day to make the world a better, safer, greener and more prosperous place.

    As we reap the rewards of our comprehensive Free Trade Agreement, the AUKUS partnership and the unmatched closeness between the British and Australian people, we do so knowing that the only distance between us is geographical.

    I look forward to working with Prime Minister Albanese in the weeks, months and years ahead as, together, we tackle shared challenges and demonstrate the importance of our shared values.

  • Priti Patel – 2022 Comments on Her Meeting with Rwandan Minister Dr Vincent Biruta

    Priti Patel – 2022 Comments on Her Meeting with Rwandan Minister Dr Vincent Biruta

    The comments made by Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, on 18 May 2022.

    I am proud of the partnership agreed between our two countries, which aims to break the people smugglers’ business model and prevent further loss of life in the English Channel, while ensuring protection for the genuinely vulnerable.

    We are pushing ahead with delivering this world-leading plan which epitomises the kind of international approach that is required to tackle an international challenge like the migration crisis.

    I look forward to meeting UNHCR representatives with Minister Biruta this week, as we continue the vital conversation on illegal migration and the importance of global cooperation.

  • Liz Truss – 2022 Statement on the Government’s International Development Strategy

    Liz Truss – 2022 Statement on the Government’s International Development Strategy

    The statement made by Liz Truss, the Foreign Secretary, in the House of Commons on 16 May 2022.

    Today we have laid out our vision for the future of UK international development. Development will be at the heart of the UK’s foreign policy, which uses all the levers available—including development, diplomacy, investment, trade, defence and intelligence—to deliver on our foreign policy objectives.

    The strategy will help address increasing global challenges, delivering investment, supporting women and girls, getting humanitarian assistance to those who need it most, and continuing our work on climate change, nature and global health.

    The strategy, which builds on a proud record of global leadership on development, will challenge dependency on malign actors, offering choice and bringing more countries into the orbit of free-market economies.

    We will use British international investment and other tools to provide honest and reliable finance to help low and middle-income countries take control of their futures, giving them an alternative so they are not burdened with unsustainable debt with strings attached. This approach will help deliver the clean green initiative, supporting countries to grow their economies sustainably.

    The strategy will rebalance the aid budget towards bilateral programmes. This will give the Government greater control over how money is spent, allowing a focus on priorities and improving lives around the world.

    The international development strategy sets out four priorities where the UK can meet the needs of partner countries around the world:

    Delivering honest, reliable investment through British investment partnerships, building on the UK’s financial expertise and the strengths of the City of London, and delivering the Prime Minister’s vision for the clean green initiative—supporting countries to grow their economies sustainably.

    Providing women and girls with the freedom they need to succeed. We intend to restore the bilateral budget to help unlock their potential, educate girls, support their empowerment and protect them against violence.

    Stepping-up our life-saving humanitarian work to prevent the worst forms of human suffering around the world. We will prioritise humanitarian funding levels at around £3 billion over the next three years, to remain a leader in crisis response.

    Taking forward our work on climate change, nature and global health. We are putting the commitments of our presidency of G7 and COP26, and our covid-19 response, at the core of our international development offer.

    Our new approach will:

    Spend more on country and bilateral programmes rather than through multilateral organisations, empowering the UK to deliver more aid directly to where it is needed. By 2025, the FCDO intends to spend around three quarters of its aid budget allocated at the 2021 spending review bilaterally.

    Use world-class British expertise to support partner countries by providing advice, exchanging lessons and evidence of what works, and building partnerships across Government, research, business and civil society.

    Cut back red tape and excessive bureaucracy around delivering aid and give ambassadors and high commissioners greater authority to get programmes delivering on the ground quickly.

    Sustain our commitment to Africa and ensure our development programmes in the Indo Pacific remain a critical part of our ambition to increase our focus on the region.

    This strategy sets the direction for all of the UK’s development work. The FCDO will oversee cross-Government efforts to deliver the strategy and draw upon the expertise of the private sector, civil society and academia to advise and challenge us on implementation.

  • Liz Truss – 2022 Comments on Sweden and Finland’s Application to Join NATO

    Liz Truss – 2022 Comments on Sweden and Finland’s Application to Join NATO

    The comments made by Liz Truss, the Foreign Secretary, on 17 May 2022.

    The UK strongly supports applications for NATO membership from Finland and Sweden. They should be integrated into the Alliance as soon as possible; their accession will strengthen the collective security of Europe.

    We look forward to working with them as new NATO Allies and stand ready to offer them our every assistance during the accession process.

    Our mutual security declarations signed with Sweden and Finland last week by the Prime Minister demonstrate our steadfast and unequivocal commitment to both countries during this process and beyond.

  • John Brady – 2022 Comments on Raising the Irish Protocol with the US Administration

    John Brady – 2022 Comments on Raising the Irish Protocol with the US Administration

    The comments made by John Brady, the Sinn Fein spokesperson on Foreign Affairs and Defence, on 16 May 2022.

    I am travelling to the United States this week for a series of meetings in Washington and New York. I will be using this opportunity to brief members of the US administration and the representatives of the Republican party on developments around the British government’s actions on the Irish Protocol.

    The support for the Good Friday Agreement (GFA) in the US cuts across party lines, and there is zero tolerance for the antics of the British government, who are threatening to tear up an international agreement. The Biden administration has been very strong in their support for the GFA.

    I will also be meeting with representative of the Irish emigrant community and will be raising the issue of the undocumented with the administration.

    During my visit to the headquarters of the United Nations in New York, I will be meeting with the members of the Irish Permanent Mission to the UN. I will also be attending a public session of the UN Security Council, on conflict and food security- an issue I raised with Minister Coveney last week.

    I will also be participating in a debate at UN on the Future Agenda for Global Diaspora Engagement: paving the way to achieving Objective 19 through regularisation and further inclusion, which will focus on the issue of the undocumented Irish emigrants in the US.

    It is my intention to use the opportunity of this visit to brief law makers in the US on the situation in Ireland in respect of the Irish Protocol, and the importance of their continued support. I will also be raising the issue of undocumented Irish emigrants in the US.

  • Vicky Ford – 2022 Statement on the Elections in Somalia

    Vicky Ford – 2022 Statement on the Elections in Somalia

    The statement made by Vicky Ford, the Minister for Africa, on 16 May 2022.

    I welcome the conclusion of the electoral process in Somalia and warmly congratulate Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on his election as President.

    After the protracted electoral process, the UK encourages Somalia’s leaders to work together with a new focus on issues of urgent national importance such as tackling al-Shabaab, responding to the devastating drought, maintaining fiscal stability, and constitutional reform.

    At this critical juncture, the United Kingdom remains committed to supporting all the people of Somalia, and to working alongside President Hassan Sheikh and his government as they seek to build greater stability, security and prosperity. I look forward to continuing to strengthen the UK – Somalia relationship.