Category: Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE : UN Human Rights Council 55 – Joint Statement on South Sudan [March 2024]

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

Joint Statement for the Enhanced Interactive Dialogue on South Sudan, as delivered by the UK’s Human Rights Ambassador, Rita French.

Thank you, Mr. President,

This statement is on behalf of the Item 2 Core Group for South Sudan –Albania, Norway, the United States of America and the United Kingdom.

We thank the Commissioners for their important report and their presentation today. We also thank the Government of South Sudan for its continued co-operation with the Commission, and for the Minister of Justice’s contribution to this dialogue.

Mr. President,

Reporting from the Commission, the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) and others show ongoing human rights violations and abuses being committed in South Sudan with impunity, as well as a deteriorating climate for civic and political space. We share these grave concerns, and are also deeply worried by the lack of progress in implementing the Revitalized Agreement more broadly.

As friends of the people of South Sudan, we stand ready to play our part in supporting South Sudan’s path to peace, reconciliation, accountability, and full respect for human rights. The Commission plays a vital role in this regard, and our Core Group believes firmly that its mandate must therefore be extended in full in this Session, to ensure continued and robust human rights scrutiny by this Council, We will continue to engage with South Sudan in the hope that this extension can be agreed by consensus.

Thank you.

18/03/2024
PRESS RELEASE : UN Human Rights Council 55 – UK Statement on South Sudan [March 2024]

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

UK Statement for the Enhanced Interactive Dialogue on South Sudan, delivered at the UN Human Rights Council.

Thank you, Mr President,

Let me start by thanking the Commissioners for their report, and their vital work which makes such an important contribution towards peace and reconciliation in South Sudan. We also welcome the presence of the other speakers on this panel, including the Honourable Justice Minister of South Sudan.

Mr President we regret that the situation in South Sudan remains grave, according to a wide range of UN and other reporting. Civic space and media freedom remains severely restricted. Civil society actors face reprisals for exercising their right to the freedom of expression and sub-national conflict continues to provoke appalling acts of conflict-related sexual violence.

The UK is clear that the Revitalized Agreement must be honoured and fully implemented, including by establishing the Chapter Five transitional justice mechanisms intended to ensure accountability for violations and abuses. We regret that these institutions have still not been established and the Revitalized Agreement remains severely off track, including the recent failure to renew the Joint Action Plan for Armed Forces on Conflict Related Sexual Violence.

We therefore believe that there must be continued, robust scrutiny of South Sudan’s human rights situation by the Commission, and we call on the government to deliver on its commitment to ensure democratic elections, accountability and full respect for human rights in South Sudan.

Commissioners, Mr Volkmann,

What more in your assessment can the international community do to protect the role of journalists, human rights defenders, and civil society in the run up to the 2024 elections?

Thank you.

18/03/2024
PRESS RELEASE : UN Human Rights Council 55 – UK Statement on Interactive Dialogue on Myanmar [March 2024]

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

Interactive Dialogue: High Commissioner’s Update on Myanmar. Delivered by the UK’s Human Rights Ambassador, Rita French.

High Commissioner, we share your deep concern about rising atrocity risks across Myanmar.

Military airstrikes and the shelling of civilian targets continues to demonstrate a shocking disregard for innocent lives.

The systemic discrimination of the Rohingya continues. The Rohingya are denied citizenship, they are denied freedom of movement and access to services, leaving them vulnerable to human trafficking.

This suffering has been compounded by further restrictions on humanitarian access and the escalation of the conflict in Rakhine state.

The UK is grateful to the Government of Bangladesh for its continued hosting of nearly 1 million Rohingya refugees, and we remain committed to supporting those Rohingya until conditions are suitable for their return. Since 2017, we have provided over £370 million to Bangladesh and over £30 million for the Rohingya and other Muslim minorities in Myanmar.

Any returns of the Rohingya to Myanmar must be voluntary, safe, and dignified.

Accountability is paramount. In November, the UK with partners filed a joint declaration of intervention at the International Court of Justice, in the case brought by The Gambia against Myanmar. The UK also continues to support the collection of evidence, including by the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM).

High Commissioner,

What more can the Council do to respond to the risk of further atrocities?

18/03/2024
PRESS RELEASE : Armed Forces Minister visits Kenya and Somalia to strengthen defence ties [March 2024]

The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 1 March 2024.

The Minister for the Armed Forces visited East Africa this week to discuss regional security with defence leaders.

The UK’s Minister for the Armed Forces has concluded a visit to Somalia and Kenya, meeting senior leaders and defence officials for discussions on strengthening regional defence cooperation and observing exercising troops.

Visiting Mogadishu, the Armed Forces Minister met with Somali President His Excellency Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, to reaffirm the UK’s commitment to supporting Somalia’s long-term security. He also visited British soldiers delivering training to the Somali Security Forces and discussed the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) with the UN Special Representative to the Secretary General. ATMIS has supported the drawdown of African Union peacekeeping operations in Somalia, to transition to the Somali national armed forces.

The UK has been working closely with the Federal Government of Somalia in its efforts to counter the extremist group al-Shabaab and the Minister reiterated the UK’s enduring support to tackling the threat posed by the group.

The Minister continued his visit by conducting meetings in Kenya, including with Cabinet Secretary for Defence Aden Duale. They discussed an ambitious vision for strengthening the defence partnership, enhancing Kenyan military capacity and promoting regional peace through the UK and Kenya’s Defence Cooperation Agreement.

Minister for the Armed Forces, James Heappey, said:

Our defence relationships in Africa are paramount to supporting the security and safety of the region. In a more dangerous world, it is critical we support our partners in developing their capabilities, through training and engagement between our armed forces, in order to respond to threats.

In my meetings with the President of Somalia and Kenyan Cabinet Secretary for Defence, I emphasised the UK’s enduring interest in deepening our defence relationships and discussed ways in which we can deepen our support.

Jointly with the US and Kenya, the UK also supports the development and operation of the Counter Insurgency Counter Terrorism and Stabilisation Operations Centre project (CITSO), which is due to commence delivery of training later this year. The Minister visited the project, which will build on international efforts to improve regional security, through a multi-agency approach to joint training.

Minister Heappey also attended a US-led and UK supported regional training exercise including troops from across East Africa conducting readiness training and preparing for regional and international missions. He also visited a joint training exercise between UK trained Kenya Marines and the Royal Marines.

18/03/2024
PRESS RELEASE : Launch of UK presidency of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance [March 2024]

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

Statement by Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon delivered by video to International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance members ahead of the launch of UK presidency.

Good afternoon everyone,

The United Kingdom is truly honoured to take on the presidency of this important Alliance tomorrow.

It is an immense pleasure to follow Croatia, and my thanks go to them, in particular. If I may single out Ambassador Gras and Sara Lustig, for their excellent work on the future of remembrance.

We look forward to carrying the torch forward, with all of you, our 34 friends from around the world, taking vital steps forward in education, in remembrance and in research, to ensure the Holocaust, the darkest moment in human history, remains seared in our collective memory.

When we look at recent events, the hate against communities, and the attacks of October 7th last year, that fuelled further conflict in the Middle East, and the tragic loss of innocent lives, has also seen the global surge of hate, the global surge in antisemitism.

This demonstrates in starkest terms the need for the world to truly learn the lessons of the Holocaust.

The need for us to renew our vow: Never Again. And then do all we can to mean it.

The theme of the UK presidency will be ‘In Plain Sight’.

Because, let me be frank, the Holocaust did not take place in some hidden dark corner. It took place ‘In Plain Sight’.

We will bring into focus all those who played a part, be they perpetrators, rescuers, or indeed bystanders.

We will shine a spotlight on the circumstances that led to the Holocaust, and the nature of society that allowed the murder of six million Jewish men, women and children, simply because of the faith they followed, simply because of who they were.

With each passing year, what is factual is there are fewer survivors left to share their precious testimonies, to tell their stories directly, to educate.

It is therefore vital that their testimonies are preserved for future generations. And that we continue to protect the facts of the Holocaust.

The United Kingdom’s presidency of this important alliance coincides with the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau and the 25th anniversary of the Stockholm Declaration.

These anniversaries are of course a poignant moment for us to consider how far we have come, and what we have achieved collectively as an alliance.

It’s also an opportunity to take stock of the challenges we face today – historic challenges, but also new challenges we face.

So let me end by saying a huge thank you, to each and every one of you, for all that you are doing in helping us face these challenges together, and during the course of our presidency I look forward to welcoming you all to both Glasgow and London during the course of this year.

Thank you.

18/03/2024
PRESS RELEASE : UN Human Rights Council 55 – UK statement on Nicaragua [March 2024]

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

UK statement for the Interactive Dialogue on the report of the Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua.

Thank you, Mr Vice-President.

Let me begin by thanking the Group of Human Rights Experts on Nicaragua for the presentation of their report.

The suppression of human rights in Nicaragua has been relentless. The climate of repression has led to shrinking space for freedom of expression and an independent media, as well as restrictions on the right to peaceful assembly.

Reports of arbitrary detention of political leaders and of members of the Catholic Church by the Nicaraguan authorities represent an unacceptable degradation of citizens’ civil and political rights. We further condemn the attacks against freedom of religion and belief.

The release in January of Bishop Álvarez and 18 other clergy from their arbitrary detention is welcomed. However, we are concerned that the Nicaraguan government has expelled these individuals from Nicaragua. The UK calls on President Ortega to fully respect the human rights of all its citizens and for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners in Nicaragua.

We would welcome the views of the experts on how we can continue to urge the Nicaraguan government to re-establish democracy and the rule of law in the country.

Thank you.

18/03/2024
PRESS RELEASE : Biggest ever crackdown on money mules in the UK [March 2024]

The press release issued by the Home Office on 1 March 2024.

Efforts to disrupt money mule activity and support exploited victims will be strengthened through a new action plan.

Efforts to disrupt money mule activity and support exploited victims will be strengthened through a 22 point action plan announced by the Security Minister, Tom Tugendhat, today (1 March 2024). The plan will include a newly funded post at The Children’s Society to raise awareness of child financial exploitation and will also step-up joint working to identify complicit mules through the sharing of intelligence.

A money mule is someone who moves and hides illegally gained money on behalf of heinous criminals, including drug dealers, human traffickers and fraudsters.

Cifas estimates that there were 37,000 bank accounts which demonstrated behaviour associated with muling in 2023. Approximately £10 billion of illegal money is laundered each year in the UK, according to estimates from the National Crime Agency (NCA).

Around 23% of money mules are under 21, and 65% are under 30. They are often groomed by criminal gangs, who offer them the prospect of making easy money. Once they are in the system, the gangs will then coerce them into committing further offending, including through blackmail, debt bondage and sextortion.

That is why the government is funding a new Financial Exploitation Lead at The Children’s Society who will spearhead a growing movement to educate those on the front-line, including bank employees, teachers and the police. Its work will ensure thousands of children who are at risk of being exploited by criminal gangs get the support they need.

The government is publishing new frontline guidance that will enable practitioners to recognise and respond to financial exploitation linked to money laundering so that victims, and potential victims, can get the protection and support they need.

The Security Minister, Tom Tugendhat, said:

I am determined to prevent heinous criminals who exploit our children and profit from it, and it is paramount we stop this vicious cycle.

The Children’s Society’s invaluable work will protect victims who are being exploited while our wider action plan will ensure these evil criminals face the full force of the law.

Financial exploitation is a form of abuse which can have a detrimental, long-term impact. In some cases, for example, vulnerable people have had difficulty opening bank accounts and received criminal charges.

The government recognises these children as victims and, through the work of The Children’s Society, is raising awareness to help safeguard vulnerable people and ensure victims are able to rebuild their lives.

The NCA is further educating young people, parents and education professionals, which will help to raise awareness of money muling and the strategies used by criminals to recruit potential money mules. This builds on our work with the Association for Citizenship Teaching to create a comprehensive set of interactive lessons designed for secondary school pupils. Themes covered include money muling as well as phishing and social media scams.

Katie Darlington, Financial Exploitation Lead at The Childrens Society, said:

We’re working to better identify and tackle child financial exploitation, a growing harm that’s part of wider work on tackling child abuse. Such exploitation can inflict real trauma on children caught up in it and they need our help, not blame.

With expertise of frontline professionals such as teachers, youth workers and police officers alongside the knowledge of the bank sector, and most importantly by listening to children and young people themselves, our approach will make sure this work is driven by the insights and experiences of the young people most affected.

The work of The Children’s Society is one part of the 22 point money mules action plan, which will protect the public, further our understanding of the threat posed by money mules, safeguard victims, pursue criminal gangs and disrupt the flow of money.

The National Economic Crime Centre (NECC), in the NCA, is already working closely with policing and the private sector, as well as those based across the continent, to crack down on money muling. In the money mules action plan, the NCA has committed to delivering a public awareness campaign on money muling, as well as to continue working with the Home Office, private sector and third sector partners on a money mules online hub, which will contain guidance, advice and support on the topic.

Nick Sharp, Deputy Director of the National Economic Crime Centre (NECC), said:

Money muling is used by organised criminals to conceal the profits of some of the most serious crimes in the UK.

At the NECC, we work tirelessly with our colleagues in policing and in the private sector, both in the UK and across Europe, to stem the flow of illicit funds.

We know that a substantial proportion of money mules are under the age of 30, and many are groomed or coerced into providing the service while at sixth form, college or university. Those involved put themselves and those around them at risk by communicating with dangerous criminals, and by becoming complicit in serious and organised crime.

We are proud to be working with the government to prevent more young people being exploited, and raise awareness of what is a significant threat to the public.

To further enhance co-operation between operational partners in this space, the City of London Police will establish a new intelligence unit to improve the police response to money mules and laundering money gained through fraud. This new unit will target money mule herders specifically, and feed intelligence into the regional organised crime unit (ROCU).

18/03/2024
PRESS RELEASE : UN Human Rights Council 55 – UK Statement on Afghanistan [March 2024]

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

UK Statement for Interactive Dialogue with Special Rapporteur on Afghanistan.

Thank you, Mr Vice President,

Special Rapporteur,

Let me start by reaffirming the UK’s full support for your mandate.

The Taliban’s disregard for the human rights of women and girls is unparalleled in the world. Two and a half years on, women and girls still cannot work. They cannot move, speak, or live freely. Girls continue to be banned from attending school above grade 6, and women from university. Women and girls have been arrested for not complying with the Taliban’s strict dress codes, many of whom have been deprived of their liberty.

This widespread and institutionalised discrimination is further compounded by household poverty, food insecurity, and lack of access to basic services.

We also remain concerned by the increase in attacks against the Hazara community and we echo the call from UNAMA for investigations to take place.

The international community, including those of us here in Geneva, must stay committed to the people of Afghanistan. The United Kingdom continues to stand with the people of Afghanistan, particularly the women and girls and their families who are suffering because of the devastating situation of human rights and dire humanitarian situation in Afghanistan.

Special Rapporteur,

How can we best support you to continue to fulfil your mandate, particularly with respect to the situation of women and girls in Afghanistan?

18/03/2024
PRESS RELEASE : £560 Million investment to modernise nuclear submarine supporting more than 1,000 jobs [March 2024]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 1 March 2024.

One of the UK’s ballistic missile submarines – HMS VICTORIOUS – will be modernised under a new £560 million contract following an agreement with Babcock.
- £560 million contract awarded for HMS VICTORIOUS maintenance in Plymouth
- Defence Secretary announces boost to the local economy which will support 1,000 jobs
- Follows huge investment in Western Europe’s largest naval base
One of the UK’s ballistic missile submarines – HMS VICTORIOUS – will be modernised under a new £560 million contract following an agreement with Babcock as part of the Government’s plan to keep the UK safe.

More than 1,000 jobs will be sustained in Plymouth and the surrounding south-west region. Maintenance work will see the modernisation and upgrade of the submarine.

As one of the Vanguard Class submarines, HMS VICTORIOUS is a key component of the UK’s Continuous At Sea Deterrent, which helps protect our freedoms every minute of every day.

For nearly 55 years, there has always been a Royal Navy ballistic missile submarine at sea. Armed with strategic nuclear missiles, these submarines have acted as the nation’s Continuous At-Sea Deterrence, sending a clear message to potential aggressors.

Defence Secretary, Grant Shapps said:

In an increasingly dangerous world, it is crucial that we continue to invest in one of our most important assets, our nuclear deterrent.

This is another UK partnership with Babcock, that will help keep the UK safe, while boosting the local economy and supporting 1,000 jobs.

On my recent visit to HMNB Devonport it was a privilege to speak with sailors and staff whose work directly contributes to our national security.

It follows a £750 million funding boost to the Devonport naval base, announced in November 2023, that will significantly improve the infrastructure. Creating around 1,000 construction roles, the work will also support maintenance of existing and future submarines, and enhance the dockyard’s ability to deliver major defence projects.

Babcock has brought new delivery and repair techniques to the programme, drawing in experience from their wider group and other sectors. These innovations have been targeted at the most complex areas of this project to reduce time and risk in delivery.

Second Sea Lord Vice Admiral Martin Connell said:

The Royal Navy performs no more important mission than Operation Relentless, the continuous at sea strategic deterrent patrols which have been performed by our submariners uninterrupted since 1969.

The mission requires an unprecedented national effort in support, maintaining our Vanguard-class submarines to the very highest engineering standards.

The overhaul of HMS Victorious will allow the boat to carry out deterrent patrols until the next generation of submarines, the Dreadnought-class, enter service.”

Babcock CEO, David Lockwood said:

Babcock CEO David Lockwood said: “Delivering the programme for this vital and complex defence asset is our top priority. We are proud to have been awarded this complex defence programme which will use our deep engineering expertise to help keep the UK safe.

The south-west recently became the country’s Marine and Maritime Launchpad, recognising its leadership in the sector. The area will receive an additional £7.5 million in funding to support outstanding innovation projects within maritime. The shipbuilding enterprise directly supports over 43,000 jobs across the country, with over 19,000 employed in the Southwest alone.
18/03/2024
PRESS RELEASE : Trade Secretary’s statement on WTO Ministerial Conference [March 2024]
The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 1 March 2024.

Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch issued a statement following the conclusion of the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference in Abu Dhabi.

The 13th World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial Conference (MC13) took place this week in Abu Dhabi.

Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch and Minister of State for Trade Policy Greg Hands MP led the UK delegation, alongside UK Permanent Representative to the WTO Simon Manley.

The WTO sets the rules that govern how countries trade with one another – from the tariff a country applies on watches and buses to the extent to which a country can subsidise its own industries.

MC13 saw the world’s trade ministers come together to discuss the most pressing challenges facing global trade and agree a way forward. The conference started on Monday 26th February and closed in the early hours of the morning of Saturday 2nd March with agreements to:
- Protect tariff-free digital trade
- Help developing countries reap the benefits of free trade, and
- Redouble efforts to establish a fully-functioning dispute settlement mechanism by the end of this year
Commenting after the conclusion of the conference, the Business and Trade Secretary said:

“I want to thank everyone who has worked so hard at MC13, particularly the UK team, our Emirati hosts, and the WTO Director General.

“I saw first-hand how delegates worked around the clock to try to get the outcomes for business and consumers. I am proud of the active and constructive role the UK played, bringing people together, showing flexibility, and brokering results.

“While we didn’t achieve everything we wanted, we secured important agreements to protect tariff-free digital trade and help the least developed countries to benefit from free and open trade.

“Anything agreed at the WTO requires consensus from all 164 members – that is by definition extremely challenging. But by getting the deals we have, we have shown the WTO is a critical, albeit imperfect, part of the global trading system that helps economies thrive.

“The UK’s primary objective for this conference was to ensure digital trade remains tariff-free – to guarantee small businesses are not taxed for having an international conference call and consumers do not pay extra to stream songs or films from other countries.

“I am pleased the WTO agreed to extend the e-commerce moratorium – a global agreement that avoids taxes on online transactions from e-mails to music or TV downloads, for two more years. The decision will provide businesses of all sizes with the certainty they need to grow and keep costs down for consumers everywhere.

“The UK still firmly believes the WTO should extend the moratorium permanently and will continue to make for the case for that.

“One area this conference has undoubtedly seen great success is in helping developing countries reap the benefits of free trade. The UK has been a key driver on this issue, and I am proud of what we have helped to deliver.

“We secured a change to WTO rules to allow countries graduating from ‘least developed country’ to ‘developed country’ status to apply the rule changes that entails gradually, rather than all at once – making it easier to reap the benefits of free and fair trade.

“We celebrated the accessions of two new countries to the WTO – Comoros and Timor Leste – giving them all the economic benefits WTO membership brings with it.

“And we completed the Investment Facilitation for Development Agreement (IFDA), which will commit its 127 signatories to practical steps which will make it easier for companies to invest in their country – from cutting red tape, to providing a one-stop-shop for investors to communicate with government, to creating a single website investors can go to for information.

“If implemented fully, research suggests the Agreement could increase global GDP by up to 1% in the long run, with developing countries in particular set to benefit.

“While we’re disappointed the IFDA was not adopted into the WTO’s legal framework, this MC13 is an important step forward and we will keep working to make that happen.

“The UK firmly believes the WTO should have a fully-functioning dispute settlement system so countries can defend themselves from governments who don’t play by the rules and protect their industries, jobs and communities.

“We have agreed at MC13 to redouble efforts to reestablish a full-functioning system by the end of this year. It is crucial that we now live up to and deliver on that commitment.

“But despite huge efforts we have failed to reach agreement to address harmful subsidies that lead to overfishing, reform agriculture, or stop countries restricting the export of food to the most vulnerable countries. These issues are not going away, and the UK will continue to press for reform.

“Negotiations have been tough, and outcomes mixed, but the UK is not giving up on the WTO. More than a billion people have been lifted out of extreme poverty since 1990. Free and open trade has played a crucial role in that. It’s worth fighting for, even when it’s hard.

“The onus is now on all WTO members to take what has been agreed at MC13 and build on it, straight away and before the next Ministerial Conference, MC14. So let’s get on with it.”

Note to editors
- IFDA implementation prediction is the result of a recent study published by the Yeutter Institute, University of Nebraska.
18/03/2024