Category: Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE : Joint statement following PM call with leaders of US, Canada, France, Germany and Italy [October 2023]

The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 23 October 2023.

The Prime Minister Rishi Sunak spoke to his counterparts from the US, Canada, France, Germany and Italy this evening on the ongoing conflict between Israel and the terrorist organisation Hamas.

Today, President Joseph R. Biden, Prime Minister Trudeau of Canada, President Emmanuel Macron of France, Chancellor Olaf Scholz of Germany, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of Italy, and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of the United Kingdom spoke regarding the ongoing conflict between Israel and the terrorist organisation Hamas.

The leaders reiterated their support for Israel and its right to defend itself against terrorism and called for adherence to international humanitarian law, including the protection of civilians.

They welcomed the release of two hostages and called for the immediate release of all remaining hostages. They committed to close coordination to support their nationals in the region, in particular those wishing to leave Gaza.

The leaders welcomed the announcement of the first humanitarian convoys to reach Palestinians in need in Gaza and committed to continue coordinating with partners in the region to ensure sustained and safe access to food, water, medical care, and other assistance required to meet humanitarian needs.

The leaders committed to continue close diplomatic coordination, including with key partners in the region, to prevent the conflict from spreading, preserve stability in the Middle East, and work toward a political solution and durable peace.

October 31, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : The normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia is vital – UK statement at the UN Security Council [October 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 23 October 2023.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the UN Security Council meeting on Kosovo.

Thank you, President. Let me begin by thanking Special Representative Ziadeh for her briefing and we welcome the participation to our meeting Her Excellency Ms. Vjosa Osmani, President of Kosovo, and Her Excellency Ms. Ana Brnabic, Prime Minister of Serbia.

The United Kingdom is a long-standing supporter of Kosovo as an independent and sovereign state. We welcome the Government’s continued progress on important issues such as the rule of law, transitional justice and tackling organised crime and corruption.

We fully support the Declaration on Missing Persons endorsed by both Kosovo and Serbia. This is a priority issue, and should not be politicised.

We also echo the Mission’s call for the Government of Kosovo to implement the 2016 ruling of the Constitutional Court of Kosovo regarding the Dečani monastery’s property. This would send a positive signal to minority communities and demonstrate Kosovo’s commitment to an inclusive, multi-ethnic future.

President, we also remain deeply concerned by the immediate security challenges in the north of Kosovo. We strongly condemn the attacks on international personnel in May and Kosovo Police on 24 September. It is vital that those responsible are brought to justice. We call on Serbia to cooperate fully with the investigations underway, and to take steps to address cross-border organised crime and arms smuggling.

Kosovo must be able to implement the rule of law across the whole of its territory, in close coordination with EULEX and KFOR. We are proud to have deployed approximately 600 UK soldiers to Kosovo in response to a request from NATO, to help fulfil KFOR’s mandate to maintain a safe and secure environment in Kosovo.

At this time of heightened tension, the normalisation of relations between Kosovo and Serbia remains vital. We urge both parties to engage with the EU-facilitated Dialogue to find mutually acceptable solutions, end the cycle of instability, and protect the hard-fought gains of the last decade.

We call on Kosovo and Serbia to honour their commitments and avoid unilateral actions or rhetoric that could reduce prospects for a comprehensive normalisation agreement. We urge both parties to engage constructively – including on the establishment of an Association of Serb Majority Municipalities – as soon as possible.

Finally, President, we recognise the vital role that UNMIK has played in the significant progress Kosovo has made since resolution 1244. But conditions on the ground are unrecognisable from 1999. We believe it is time to review UNMIK’s role and responsibilities. This would enable the Council to take a fresh look at how the Mission can adapt to serve the current conditions in Kosovo.

In closing, let me reiterate the UK’s gratitude to the Special Representative and the Mission for all of their work, and for the professional implementation of their mandate.

October 31, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Heat pump grants increased by 50% [October 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero on 23 October 2023.

Homes can get £7,500 to install a heat pump, meaning they can be cheaper than gas boilers, thanks to one of the most generous schemes in Europe.

Families can install a heat pump for cheaper than the average gas boiler, thanks to an increase in government grants available from today.

As promised by the Prime Minister as part of the government’s pragmatic approach to net zero, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme will offer £7,500 towards the cost of a new heat pump – a 50% increase in the support available for air source models and making it one of the most generous schemes in Europe.

Estimates place the typical cost of buying and installing a gas boiler at between £2,500 and £3,000 and starting prices for heat pumps can now be below this for some households, when taking advantage of the grant and additional discounts offered by energy suppliers.

The increased grants form part of the government’s pragmatic, proportionate and realistic approach to reaching net zero – reducing costs on British families (after huge pressures families have faced over the last couple of years) while still meeting international commitments.

Today, the government is also:
- making £10 million available through the Heat Pump Ready programme to support innovation in the heat pump sector to cut installation costs even further
- launching ‘Welcome Home to Energy Efficiency’ a new campaign to help people improve the energy efficiency of their home and lower their bills over the winter
As a result of the increased grant funding, thousands of families up and down the country have the chance to upgrade their heating to a cleaner alternative for less. The scheme has also been extended by 3 years to 2028, giving people more time to take advantage of the opportunity.

Energy Security Secretary Claire Coutinho said:

No one should have to choose between cutting costs and cutting emissions – our pragmatic approach means we can continue to deliver on our ambitious net zero targets without unfairly hitting the pockets of hardworking families.

From today, for some households starting prices for heat pumps could now be below the average gas boiler, as we have increased the cash grant by 50% to £7,500 – making our scheme one of the most generous in Europe.

This will help thousands of people across the country reduce their energy use and keep their homes warm.

Customers do not have to apply for the grants and can check their home is eligible on GOV.UK.

Anyone interested just needs to agree a quote for the work with an MCS certified installer, who will then do all the paperwork. Ofgem will simply contact the customer after that to confirm they would like to proceed.

As well as increasing the air source heat pump grant from £5,000 to £7,500, ground source heat pump grants have risen from £6,000 to £7,500, and households can still access £5,000 grants for biomass boilers.

Organisations can now apply for a share of the latest round of the Heat Pump Ready programme, which will support innovation projects that would make heat pumps cheaper, quicker or easier to install and would improve the customer experience of using a heat pump.

The Welcome Home to Energy Efficiency campaign will encourage families to improve their home’s energy efficiency, with adverts across television, on-demand services, podcasts, print and billboards. They will include a range of recommended measures such as:
- Checking loft and wall insulation
- Upgrading to a heat pump, using the bumper grant
- Installing solar panels to power a heat pump and save even further
Lord Callanan, Minister for Energy Efficiency and Green Finance, said:

Making our housing stock more energy efficient not only furthers our net zero ambitions but enables families to cut their energy use and reduce their bills.

Welcome Home to Energy Efficiency will help people identify measures that will work for them, and in turn create street upon street of warmer homes.

Boiler Upgrade Scheme grants can be used alongside support from the £1 billion Great British Insulation Scheme for more than 300,000 homes, including the most vulnerable families in England, Wales and Scotland. This ensures the most energy-inefficient homes can keep more of their heat indoors and replace their inefficient gas boilers with the latest technology.

Consumers can also give their home an energy efficiency MOT now at a new dedicated website: gov.uk/energy-efficient-home.

To prevent hardworking people being burdened with high costs, the government is delaying the ban on installing oil and liquified petroleum gas boilers, and new coal heating, for off-gas-grid homes to 2035, instead of phasing them out from 2026. Some of these homes are not suitable for heat pumps, so this ensures homeowners are not having to spend around £10,000 to £15,000 on upgrading their homes in just 3 years’ time.

The government has also set an exemption to the phase out of fossil fuel boilers, including gas, in 2035, so that households will not have to switch to a heat pump if their home is not suitable.
October 31, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Education Secretary says parents can see sex education material [October 2023]

The press release issued by the Department for Education on 23 October 2023.

Education Secretary’s letters make crystal clear that schools must share relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) curriculum material with parents.

The Education Secretary is writing today, 24 October, to all schools in England to make clear that they can and should share relationships, sex and health (RSHE) curriculum materials with parents.

In addition, she has penned an open letter to parents – which encourages them to have confidence in their right to know what their children are seeing and being taught in the classroom.

The letter makes clear that companies providing teaching resources cannot use copyright law to forbid schools from sharing materials, and any attempt to do so through contract terms would be unenforceable and void.

If a provider were to attempt to forbid sharing with parents when asked, schools should continue regardless, because a blanket ban would contradict the clear public interest in parents being aware of what their children are being taught.

In the event that a school is faced with contractual clauses, the Education Secretary is backing schools defending parents’ rights with a practical sample letter that all schools can adapt and send to external providers making clear such clauses are void on the grounds that they are unenforceable.

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said:

No ifs, no buts and no more excuses. This government is acting to guarantee parents’ fundamental right to know what their children are being taught in sex and relationships education.

Today I’m writing to schools and parents to debunk the copyright myth that parents cannot see what their children are being taught.

Parents must be empowered to ask and schools should have the confidence to share.

Parentkind’s Chief Executive Jason Elsom said:

Parentkind welcomes the Department for Education’s timely move to strengthen parental rights in the teaching of RSHE. The key to children receiving appropriate and beneficial relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) teaching is full transparency with parents.

When we polled parents on RSHE earlier this year, a clear picture emerged. Parents wanted to be consulted by schools in advance and agreed that the teaching of the subject was important.

Our research clearly demonstrates that when parents are consistently informed about RSHE in advance, they are significantly likelier to have confidence in the curriculum and be supportive of the content. This move should help to reassure parents about the content and provision of RSHE.

The Education Secretary first wrote to all schools in England in March in light of concerning reports of the teaching of inappropriate materials as part of the RSHE curriculum.

This letter was clear that the government was initiating a thorough review of the curriculum supported by an independent panel, but that in the meantime schools should not enter contractual conditions that prevent them sharing RSHE materials.

The new letter provides the most categorical position on the application of copyright law in this area to date – as part of the government’s overriding approach to empower both teachers and parents to defend their rights.

It makes clear that where parents cannot attend a presentation or they are unable to view materials via a “parent portal”, such as a school website, schools may provide copies of materials to parents to take home on request, providing parents agree to avoid copying the content or sharing it further.

The Education Secretary and departmental officials have been listening closely to parents and teachers as part of the thorough review into the RSHE curriculum and will publish the updated guidance for full public consultation later this year.

October 31, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : £20 million for North Quay regeneration (Levelling Up Fund 2) [October 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 23 October 2023.

£20 million has been awarded to Great Yarmouth Borough Council for the North Quay redevelopment. This will transform the area around the town’s railway station and waterfront.

Great Yarmouth North Quay Development

North Quay is a new development in the heart of Great Yarmouth, close to Great Yarmouth Rail Station and Market Place. Underutilised land will be reimagined to create a new area for retail, leisure and housing. Levelling Up funding will support phase 1 of the development and unlock the area. The significant development will provide a key link between the station and the town centre.

Find out more about the North Quay regeneration project.

Regenerating the area around Great Yarmouth Station

Funding will also support regeneration around Great Yarmouth Station. This will include:
- improved cycling and walking paths
- improvements to the outdoor space next to the station
October 31, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : New global surveillance aircraft begins UK trials [October 2023]
The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 23 October 2023.

A new uncrewed RAF aircraft, capable of global surveillance operations, will begin trials in the UK this week.
- The first of 16 Protector aircraft arrive at RAF Waddington for test flights
- Boosts RAF technology with unparalleled surveillance and strike capability
- Aircraft will undergo test flights until entering service in late 2024
The first of 16 remotely piloted Protector aircraft has arrived at RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire to commence a series of rigorous trials and tests before entering the RAF fleet.

Equipped with a suite of surveillance equipment, the Protector aircraft will bring a critical global surveillance capability for the UK, all while being remotely piloted from RAF Waddington.

It will be able to undertake a wide range of tasking including land and maritime surveillance to track threats, counter terrorism and support to UK civil authorities, such as assisting HM Coastguard with search and rescue missions.

With a wingspan of 79 feet, the uncrewed aircraft can operate at heights up to 40,000 feet and has an endurance of more than 30 hours, enabling unparalleled surveillance and strike capability.

The aircraft has been assembled by a newly reformed 31 Squadron who are preparing it for ground and air testing ahead of its anticipated in-service date later next year. 31 Sqn, which previously operated the Tornado GR4, will operate and maintain the aircraft at RAF Waddington. The squadron has a long history stretching back to 1915 and have operated multiple aircraft types in the last century. They are exclusively a Protector Sqn now and have been reformed to operate Protector as it enters Service.

Defence Procurement Minister, James Cartlidge MP said:

“The UK’s world-class Protector aircraft will emphasise our ultra-modern surveillance, intelligence, and precision strike capabilities, ensuring we are ready to monitor and protect against potential adversaries around the globe.

“With the first aircraft at RAF Waddington ready to begin trials, we will once again demonstrate how we are spearheading military defence technology.”

The first phase of tests, beginning this week, will involve ground testing of the satellite links and taxi procedures, as well as take-off and landing trials. This will also incorporate a circuit above RAF Waddington.

In addition to accepting the Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) roles currently undertaken by Reaper, which has provided exceptional service on operations around the clock for more than 15 years, Protector will be certified to stringent NATO safety and certification standards allowing it to operate in the UK and European civilian airspace.

Senior Responsible Owner, Protector Programme Air Commodore Alex Hicks, said:

“The arrival of the UK’s first Protector to the Royal Air Force is the culmination of years of work by many personnel across the whole of the MOD. The ISR Capability Team will be working with 56 Sqn, our test and evaluation experts, who will put the aircraft through its paces to ensure it is ready for operational service next year, whilst the newly reformed 31 Sqn will focus on preparing to operate the aircraft in service. This is an important milestone for the Programme, Air Force and wider defence and I am delighted to see Protector at RAF Waddington.”

Head of Remotely Piloted Air System DE&S, Simon Holford said:

“The arrival of the first Protector system in the UK is a major milestone for the project. It reflects all of the hard work that everyone involved has put in to reach this stage, and we are immensely proud of our achievements. However, we can’t rest on our laurels as there is much more to do. Now assembled, this aircraft will be used to perform initial UK flight trials ahead of progressively delivering the capability to the RAF next year.”

Arrival of 15 further aircraft from General Atomics in the US into the UK will be a phased delivery over the coming years. All aircraft are expected to be delivered by the end of 2025.
October 31, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Colchester boosted with £19.6 million (Levelling Up Fund 2) [October 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 23 October 2023.

Almost £20 million from the Levelling Up Fund will support a variety of improvements in Colchester City Centre.

St Botolph’s Circus scheme

Residents of Colchester will benefit from a spectacular redevelopment that will transform St Botolph’s Circus. As a vital gateway into Colchester’s rich historic city centre, the project promises to revolutionise connectivity for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers to seamlessly coexist. By reclaiming road space, the project will create clean air public spaces where residents and visitors can relax and enjoy new flourishing businesses and pop-up retail experiences.

The improvements will:
- promote walking and cycling journeys
- improve safety and reduce crime in the area
- reclaim road space at the roundabout
- create potential for pop-up retail opportunities
- improve air quality
Other improvements in St Botolph’s include:
- a vibrant new plaza and green spaces
- new step free access to Colchester Station
- a new heritage walking route from St Botolph’s Priory to Colchester Castle and Castle Park to encourage visitors to delve into the city’s rich history and awe-inspiring past
- improved pedestrian and cycle crossings
- a dedicated new bike hub at Britannia Yard / Vineyard Street
- better links to the Britannia car park redevelopment
Regeneration of the area will benefit pedestrians, cyclists and car users. It will improve a key gateway to the city.

Councillor David King, Leader of Colchester City Council, said:

The improvements to St Botolph’s Circus will bring immense benefits to both current and future residents.

With a focus on managing traffic flow, promoting walking and cycling, enhancing air quality, and creating new green spaces, this project will truly open up our city and cater to the ever-evolving needs of our vibrant communities and businesses.

We are thrilled to be working hand in hand with our residents, businesses, and partners – especially Essex County Council – who have played an instrumental role in shaping our plans. Yet closer to the finish line of a great project.”

Councillor Kevin Bentley, Leader of Essex County Council, added:

As Team Colchester, our two councils have united to craft a sustainable and forward-thinking vision for St Botolph’s. It brings me immense joy to witness the remarkable collaboration that has gone into this extraordinary project. With Colchester’s rich history as Britain’s first Roman capital 2,000 years ago, we are proud to be a part of shaping its future, ensuring that our generation leaves an indelible mark on this historic quarter.

A bright future for Colchester

Funding will also be used to complete the Kerbless Street route on Short Wyre Street, create commercial units for creative and digital industries and the Shopfront Improvement Grants scheme.

These projects will complement other funding in the area provided as part of the Colchester Town Deal and Colchester City Status

Find out more about the regeneration of Colchester
October 31, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : £24 million to boost King’s Lynn transport infrastructure (Levelling Up Fund 2) [October 2023]
The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 23 October 2023.

£24 million from the Levelling Up Fund was provisionally allocated to Norfolk County Council. The funding will modernise local road systems and enhance public spaces by reducing traffic congestion.

STARS Southgates

The funding will support the ‘King’s Lynn Sustainable Transport and Regeneration Scheme (STARS)’ project. Improvements to the road system will enable easier entrance and smoother movement around King’s Lynn.

Plans include:
- converting Southgates roundabout into an intersection
- new cycle and pedestrian pathways
- bus priority measures
The transformation of the current one-way system will
- reduce congestion in the area, specifically on Railway Road
- reconnect the sections of Norfolk Street
- enhance public spaces and views for local residents
The planned improvements will help to preserve the area’s natural greenery, creating new scenic views of the South Gate and bridge.
October 31, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : Action plan to tackle shoplifting launched [October 2023]

The press release issued by the Home Office on 23 October 2023.

The government brought together retailers and policing to set out measures to tackle the rise in shoplifting, catch more offenders and keep retail workers safe.

Policing Minister Chris Philp chaired a meeting with senior police leaders and 13 of the UK’s biggest retailers today to launch the Retail Crime Action Plan.

Commissioned by the minister and published today, the plan includes a police commitment to prioritise urgently attending the scene of shoplifting instances involving violence against a shop worker, where security guards have detained an offender or where attendance is needed to secure evidence. Police attendance will be assessed based on risk, and prolific or juvenile offenders will be treated with elevated priority.

Police have also reaffirmed their pledge to follow up on any evidence that could reasonably lead to catching a perpetrator. Forces will step up targeted hotspot patrols in badly affected areas.

The plan sets out advice for retailers on how to provide the best possible evidence for police to pursue in any case. They should send CCTV footage of the whole incident, and an image of the shoplifter from the digital evidence management system, as quickly as possible after an offence has been committed.

Where CCTV or other digital images are secured, police will run this through the Police National Database using facial recognition technology to further aid efforts to identify and prosecute offenders – particularly prolific or potentially dangerous individuals.

A specialist new police team is also being created to build a comprehensive intelligence picture of the organised crime gangs that fuel many shoplifting incidents across the country, to help target and dismantle them.

The initiative, called Pegasus, is a business and policing partnership that will radically improve the way retailers are able to share intelligence with policing, to better understand the tactics used by organised retail crime gangs and identify more offenders. This will include development of a new information sharing platform and training for retailers.

Spearheaded by Katy Bourne, the Business Crime lead for the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC), Pegasus is the first national partnership of its kind. It is backed by the Home Office, John Lewis, the Co-op, M&S, Boots, Primark and several more, who have collectively pledged to provide over £840,000 to get the initiative off the ground.

Crime and Policing Minister Chris Philp said:

I want a new zero-tolerance approach to tackling shoplifting. It is a blight on our highstreets and communities and puts the livelihoods of traders at risk. I am determined to drive forward change.

While it is encouraging to see a 29% increase in charges for shoplifting in the past year, the rise in offending is unacceptable and there is much more to do to stop it happening in the first place.

That’s why we’re taking action and bringing together government, policing and business to commit to smarter, more joined up working when it comes to retail crime, which will help to drive down criminal behaviour and rebuild public confidence in the police response when it does occur.

The majority of funding for Pegasus will go towards the creation of a dedicated team of specialist analysts and intelligence officers to work within OPAL, the national policing team that oversees intelligence on serious organised acquisitive crime. OPAL is run by Detective Chief Superintendent Jim Taylor and overseen by North Wales Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman. Recruitment has already started, and the team will be operational later this month, delivering outcomes across the country by the New Year.

Pegasus will deliver a new digital interface to streamline information sharing between retailers and the police and also provide training for retailers on appropriate information and intelligence to share with policing.

Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman, National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead for Acquisitive Crime, said:

Dealing with retail crime requires a multi-faceted approach and through the launch of Pegasus, plus the Retail Crime Action Plan, we have bolstered the policing response to tackling offenders and supporting retailers in reducing shoplifting and attacks on retail staff.

We welcome the collaboration between retailers, police and crime commissioners and policing through Project Pegasus which centralises intelligence and enhances our ability to identify and tackle the groups involved.

We continue to target those prolific and habitual offenders whose behaviour causes misery and takes profit from our communities and retailers. Local police forces assess each report through a threat, harm and risk model to determine their police response and will deploy resources where they can be most effective in catching offenders and keeping people safe.

Paul Gerrard, Campaigns, Public Affairs and Board Secretariat Director of the Co-op, said:

The Co-op has long called for greater police prioritisation so they tackle the rampant rise in retail crime especially those involving violence or prolific offenders; this is now what happens at present as our colleagues see every day.

We, therefore, welcome the commitments in the ‘Retail Crime Action Plan’ to attend incidents of violence, incidents where offenders have been detained and ensure all evidence is collected so every reasonable line of enquiry can be followed.

Alongside Pegasus, which the Co-op is helping to fund, we are hopeful that this will mark the point at which the police will provide the support to protect shopworkers and shops so they can help the communities they serve thrive.

The Co-op stands ready to work with every police force to ensure our colleagues and the shops they work in can continue to serve their communities.

Katy Bourne, PCC and APCC National Lead for Business and Retail Crime, said:

Pegasus will be a game changer in the fight against retail crime providing for the first time an accurate national picture of the organised groups from local families to cross border criminals driving organised shop theft.

Retailers will agree ways to capture information that can be shared and analysed to create intelligence packages for police forces to target and track perpetrators. I am very grateful to all the contributors to Pegasus and to Mitie in particular for helping to get Pegasus airborne.

Nicki Juniper, Head of Security for the John Lewis Partnership, said:

While there’s no silver bullet for tackling retail crime, we welcome this significant step forward. Retail crime is not victimless, it has an impact on Partners, customers and on prices. We look forward to continuing to work collaboratively with police and others in the sector to keep our Partners and customers safe.

October 31, 2023
PRESS RELEASE : The UK is ready to consider further sanctions against gangs to deliver stability for the Haitian people – UK statement at the UN Security Council [October 2023]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 23 October 2023.

Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki at the UN Security Council meeting on Haiti.

I thank SRSG Salvador, Executive Director Russell, Executive Director Waly, and Ms. Manigat for their briefings today. UN staff and their local partners continue to do vital work in Haiti in the toughest of circumstances. I also welcome the participation of the representatives of Haiti, Jamaica, and the Dominican Republic.

The UK remains concerned by the deteriorating political and security situation in Haiti that has been set out by our briefers today and its severe impact on the Haitian people and the region. Gangs continue to take over entire neighbourhoods on which they unleash killing, burning, kidnapping and severe restriction of movement.

The Multinational Security Support mission, which this Council mandated earlier this month, is an important step to help the Haitian National Police address the deteriorating security situation in their country and we pay tribute to Kenya and other countries who are stepping up. But this mission will not alone solve the multidimensional crisis in Haiti.

President, long-term stability in Haiti cannot be achieved without political progress that allows the Haitian people to choose their next leaders through free, fair and credible elections. We call on all political actors to put aside their differences for the common interest of the Haitian people and agree on a roadmap that commits all parties to working towards a return to long-term stable governance. We commend efforts to broker transparent dialogue in search of a genuine commitment to political progress.

We continue to hear chilling accounts of the widespread use of sexual violence – including collective rape – by armed gangs as a weapon to instil fear into communities. There are also accounts of the recruitment of vulnerable children into gangs. The UK welcomes the renewal of sanctions targeting those responsible for, and supporting, armed criminal violence in Haiti. We stand ready to consider further sanctions designations against gangs and their influential backers to help deliver a more stable future for the Haitian people.

Thank you.

October 30, 2023