Category: Press Releases

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 12 July 2024.

The UK government announces a £2 million package to support up to 150,000 Sudanese refugees in Libya fleeing violence.

• UK to contribute £2 million support to refugees in Libya fleeing violence in Darfur, Sudan
• funding will support much-needed emergency health, water and sanitation services
• alongside international partners aid will deliver support to up to 150,000 refugees

International Development Minister Anneliese Dodds has today [Friday 12 July] pledged new UK aid funding to provide life-saving assistance to up to 150,000 Sudanese refugees who are fleeing escalating violence in Darfur.

It’s estimated that more than 2 million people have fled Sudan due to the violence which erupted following a coup in April last year, including more than 1,200 people entering Libya daily.

This forms part of the government’s commitment to work with international partners to address the humanitarian crises which lead people to flee their homes, and to strengthen support for refugees in their home region.

This £2 million package will go towards the humanitarian response in the hard-to-reach Alkufra region, where the UN estimates up to 45,000 refugees are currently in desperate need of support.

Health provision in Alkufra is minimal and was struggling even before the humanitarian crisis. Under the strain of thousands of refugees, in need of medical assistance, the system is now on the verge of collapse.

Alongside international partners, this funding will help deliver much-needed emergency health, water, sanitation, hygiene, and child protection services to an estimated 150,000 individuals taking refuge in Eastern Libya, as well as the communities hosting them.

The Minister of State for Development, Anneliese Dodds, said:

The UK is committed to delivering life-saving aid to some of the world’s most vulnerable people, including children, as they flee violence in war-torn Sudan.

Alongside our international partners, this support in Libya will deliver much-needed water and emergency health, sanitation and hygiene services to these displaced refugees.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 11 July 2024.

Ambassador Holland sets out how President Putin’s preconditions for negotiations with Ukraine flagrantly violate OSCE principles.

Thank you, Madam Chair.  Last month, President Putin delivered a statement to senior Russian officials on the settlement of his war in Ukraine.  He did so as leaders from around the world prepared to travel to Switzerland for the Peace Summit to discuss the foundations of a sustainable peace in Ukraine.

It is difficult to avoid the conclusion that the statement, and its timing, was an unsuccessful attempt to try to undermine the Peace Summit.  But since the proposals and themes in it continue to be repeated, we in this room should assess and judge them against the principles guiding relations between participating States – also known as the Decalogue – since these are the foundational principles of this organisation to which we all committed in the interests of our shared security.

President Putin stated that there was no plan to storm Kyiv.  In his words, this was “nothing else but an operation to coerce the Ukrainian regime into peace”.  This is in direct contravention of Article Two of the Decalogue. This says: “No such threat or use of force will be employed as a means of settling disputes”. Madam Chair, peace cannot be achieved down the barrel of a gun.

Among the preconditions for beginning peace negotiations stated in the speech are that Ukraine withdraws its troops completely from Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts. These are all regions that, in addition to Crimea, fall within Ukraine’s internationally recognised borders.  Article Three of the Decalogue says States should “refrain from any demand for, or act of, seizure and usurpation of part or all of the territory of any participating State.”  And Article Four says they should “refrain from making each other’s territory the object of military occupation or other direct or indirect measures of force”.

Another of Russia’s conditions for peace is that Ukraine “abandons its plans to join NATO”.  Article One of the Decalogue on sovereign equality provides for: “the right to be or not to be a party to treaties of alliance.”

Madam Chair, there are many more such examples, not to mention factual inaccuracies.  The point is that this set of proposals is incompatible with the principles which we have all agreed to abide by, including the imperialistic threat that “Ukraine’s existence in the future” depends on its response to Russian aggression. No matter what our geography or political allegiances are, we should all be deeply concerned at how seriously Russia treats its commitments when those commitments become inconvenient.

It is for Ukraine to determine its own path to peace.  The only peace in Ukraine that will last is one that respects the UN Charter and the OSCE’s principles, a point the global community underlined in Switzerland.  If President Putin wants to deliver that peace, he can do so today by bringing Russia back into alignment with the OSCE Decalogue, which Russia helped draft, and withdrawing from Ukraine.

Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 11 July 2024.

Remarks of HMA to the DRC, Alyson King, at the Residence of the British Consular Agent in Bukavu on 2 July 2024.

Dear Partners and friends from Great Britain,

Good evening.

I can’t begin my speech this evening without thanking our host, the Honorary Consul of Great Britain, Mr Ketan Kotecha, for welcoming us to his magnificent residence, giving us an opportunity to meet (some of us for the first time) while admiring the beauty of the city of Bukavu, a city I’m visiting for the first time and certainly not the last.

Bukavu is the capital of the province of South Kivu, a province that was once ravaged by repeated conflicts, but which has recently, thanks to the efforts of all concerned, but mainly thanks to its hard-working and resilient population, been able to get through the most difficult times and begin its march towards stability. Admittedly, there are still a few pockets of instability, which in the near future, with everyone’s help, will find peace.

South Kivu is going through a crucial period, notably with the disengagement of MONUSCO, which does not mean abandonment by the United Nations system, and even less so by the International Community, but also by a new political era following last year’s elections, which brought new life and new authorities at the head of the province. We wish them a fruitful mandate in the service of the population’s well-being.

I’m also here this week for a special purpose: to support the visit of surgeons and clinicians from Swansea University and University College London, who are collaborating with Panzi Hospital and the Scar Free Foundation on a potentially revolutionary initiative in the field of VVF. Their work alongside Dr Mukwege’s wonderful team at Panzi Hospital during my visit today has been inspiring, and I pay particular tribute to Professors Ian Whitaker and Sohier Elneil and their colleagues for their work. Sexual violence is one of the most horrific consequences of this conflict, but this initiative brings hope to the victims.

We are optimistic that these changes in the province will bring hope with the support of all parties, including the technical and financial partners of South Kivu Province and the DRC in general. Finally, this is an opportunity for me to reaffirm Great Britain’s friendship for the DRC and its people, and our commitment to working in support of the authorities and non-governmental organisations to meet the different challenges in the province and the country.

Many thanks to all of you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 11 July 2024.

His Majesty’s Ambassador to the DRC, Alyson King, gave a speech at the UK House Goma, on 3 July 2024.

Your Excellency the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations,

Bishop of Goma,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Karibu Sana,

Bienvenue,

Welcome.

This should have been a happier occasion. I couldn’t wait to be back in Eastern DRC, to welcome you all to the British Embassy office in Goma, along with our wonderful team, Jon, Magnus, Lucien, Diane and Christian, and to thank you for your friendship, partnership and support. That’s what I’m going to do. But first I must say a few words about the current situation and recent events.

With the latest M23 advances in Kanyabayonga, many of you here tonight have colleagues who have been trapped by the fighting, living under intense pressure and fear. On Monday, we heard the terrible news that a five-vehicle humanitarian convoy carrying Tearfund staff had been attacked, the vehicles burned and two colleagues killed. I know that many of you here tonight have been involved in the evacuation efforts of other colleagues, and that you are tired, grieving, worried for your colleagues and the communities left behind.

Humanitarian workers, like the civilian populations you serve, are not supposed to be a target in conflict. But the reality is that you are, and so are they. So, I want to pay tribute to your courage, and allow us to take a moment to honour those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in serving their fellow human beings, and to remember all the victims of conflict.  May I invite everyone to remain silent for a moment.

Thank you. I would like to assure everyone here that the UK will continue to be committed to the search for the lasting peace that the people of the eastern DRC deserve. The UK has had a permanent presence here for over twelve years, and the team here is working hard, day after day, to represent the UK in eastern DRC.

Ladies and gentlemen, despite the difficult times, it’s a pleasure to be back. Goma is a dynamic, creative and proud city, brimming with ideas and resources, full of music, art and enterprise, people doing impressive things in difficult circumstances. It’s also a place of incredible beauty, set between the great Nyiragongo volcano and Lake Kivu. I always look forward to spending time in Goma and always return to Kinshasa with a suitcase full of coffee, a little jealous of Goma’s spectacular scenery and indomitable spirit.

I also had the privilege of visiting Bukavu this week, seeing the “mother of the Kivus” and meeting many of South Kivu’s community and political leaders, business people and local and international partners. On my way back by boat at dawn this morning, as the sun rose over the island of Idjwi, I wondered if there was any place more beautiful than Lake Kivu.

As you all know, the last few months have been marked by an escalation of the conflict that has inflicted terrible suffering on civilians. Tomorrow, I’m going to meet some of the people most affected by the war and learn more about their experiences and needs. While I am always humbled by the resilience of displaced populations, I expect to hear hard messages about how hard life is, and why all of us with influence must step up our efforts for peace with greater urgency.

I am proud that the UK is standing alongside other donors in responding to this humanitarian crisis. We have committed one hundred and twenty million dollars in humanitarian aid over three years as part of its humanitarian and recovery programs. With this aid, we are providing short-term emergency relief by funding the SAFER consortium, the Red Cross, UNICEF and the World Food Programme, and we are also working to reduce future crises through the EAST consortium (Enabling Affected Communities to Survive and Thrive).

To be entrusted with positions of responsibility at a time when so much is at stake is an enormous responsibility in any part of the world. We are all called upon to do everything in our power to bring the conflict to an end as quickly as possible, and to work with compassion and determination. When I see you, I see a dedicated and passionate community, whether frontline humanitarians, government leaders, conflict analysts, civil society leaders, UN agencies, diplomats, security professionals or human rights defenders.

I would particularly like to congratulate:

MONUSCO’s DSRSG, Vivian van de Perre, for her obvious passion and influence from the outset of her mandate, and Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator, Suzanna Tkalec, for her leadership of the humanitarian community in the East.

In addition to our team in Goma, I would also like to thank our wonderful catering team, musicians, decorators and house staff for tonight’s event. I’d also like to thank the sponsors who made this evening possible:

• Socimex
• Rawbank
• Vodacom
• Médecins de Nuit
• UTEX
• Maison Castel
• Brasimba

Everyone here has a difficult, if not impossible, job, but we all have a reason to exist. Take advantage of this evening to talk to other people who have a reason to be here in North Kivu. We’re not alone, and together we can do more and better with and for the people of eastern DRC.

Given that his photo is in the garden this evening, and that it was the DRC’s national holiday this week, perhaps I can share with you the words of His Majesty the King’s message to President Tshisekedi to mark the occasion. He said:

As you and the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo celebrate the special occasion of your Independence Day, it gives my wife and I great pleasure to convey our sincere congratulations to Your Excellency and to the Congolese people.

I value the ties that bind our two nations, and hope that our countries can continue to work closely together on important global issues, from peace and prosperity to the environment and climate change, which will benefit our future generations for many years to come.

My wife and I would like to take this opportunity to wish you and all the Congolese people the very best for the coming year.

I invite you to join me in a toast to His Majesty the King.

All that remains is for me to say:

Karibu pia mangaribi njema kwa wote (Welcome and have a nice evening).

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 11 July 2024.

Ambassador Holland thanks the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities for his work and urges continued prioritisation of support for Ukraine against Russian aggression.

Thank you, Madam Chair. High Commissioner, dear Kairat, welcome back to the Permanent Council. And thank you for your report today – your final one in this capacity.

The UK is a strong supporter of your mandate, and of your team’s work in promoting human rights for all, specifically those belonging to national minorities across the OSCE region. This is a crucial aspect at all stages of the conflict cycle, from conflict prevention to peaceful resolution.

It is difficult to start my statement anywhere other than Ukraine. We welcome your ongoing prioritisation of this work. Civilians in Ukraine must be protected from Russia’s ongoing aggression, including national minorities. As we know, minority rights formed a part of Russia’s fabricated pretext for its illegal invasion; the fact that those same national minorities suffer so gravely at Russia’s hands is an awful irony.

We reiterate the importance of your office’s continued focus on the situation in the areas of Ukraine’s sovereign territory temporarily under Russian control. In our statement to the Permanent Council last week we reported on Russia’s systematic attempt to erase Ukrainian identity in these areas, including forced passportisation and the deportation of children. The deeply concerning situation in Crimea has been well documented by numerous independent organisations. Last month the European Court of Human Rights found Russia guilty of systemic violations of human rights in the territory, including widescale repression against Crimean Tatars.

We wholeheartedly agree with your assessment that respect for the fundamental norms and principles that our predecessors agreed half a century ago is critical to the future of the OSCE. It was in this spirit that leaders gathered in Switzerland last month to agree the path to a sustainable peace in Ukraine, based on the UN Charter. The quickest path to peace would be for President Putin to withdraw all Russian troops illegally present in Ukraine and end its aggression against its neighbour.

High Commissioner, we commend your work across the OSCE region – including in Georgia, Moldova, and Central Asia – where participating States have made use of legislation, education, language, and dialogue to improve cohesion and representation for different national minorities.

The UK greatly values your Office’s work looking at the intersectionality of gender and national minorities. It is in all of our interests that we fully support women’s full, equal and meaningful participation in all aspects of public life, including in peace and security. It is reassuring to know that your Office also recognises the value and importance of this. We would be in favour of further initiatives which promote gender mainstreaming, and look forward to reports of future progress in this important area.

High Commissioner, the UK is a strong supporter of your institution. We thank you – and your dedicated team – for all of your work during your tenure, and in particular your agreement at the end of last year to continue in the role at such short notice. We wish you well in whatever comes next. Thank you.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 11 July 2024.

Ms Josephine Gauld LVO has been appointed British High Commissioner to the Republic of Sierra Leone.

Ms Josephine Gauld LVO has been appointed British High Commissioner to the Republic of Sierra Leone in succession to Ms Lisa Chesney MBE, who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment. Ms Gauld will take up her appointment during September 2024.

Curriculum vitae

Full name: Josephine Lucy Louisa Gauld

Year	Role
2021 to present	Nairobi, Deputy High Commissioner and Permanent Representative to UNEP and UN Habitat
2016 to 2020	Abidjan, Her Majesty’s Ambassador
2014 to 2016	Strasbourg, Ecole Nationale d’Administration
2012 to 2014	Abuja, Deputy Head of Chancery
2009 to 2012	FCO, Eastern Europe and Central Asia Directorate
2007 to 2009	Abidjan, First Secretary
2004 to 2007	Kinshasa, Second Secretary Political and Economic
2002 to 2003	FCO, EU External Department
2002	Joined FCO
1997 to 2002	British Council